Emotion & Motivation: Theories, Expressions, and Biological Bases

James-Lange Theory

The theory that our bodily responses cause the feeling of fear.

Two-Factor Theory

The theory that we label our physiological arousal, which leads to the experience of emotion.

Universal Emotions

Emotions that are recognized across cultures, including primary emotions like Joy, Surprise, Fear, Anger, Sadness, and Disgust.

Primary Emotions

Emotions that include Joy, Surprise, Fear, Anger, Sadness, and Disgust.

Secondary Emotions

Emotions that include Embarrassment, Envy, Empathy, Pride, Shame, and Guilt.

Facial Feedback Mechanism

The process by which facial expressions influence emotional experiences.

Display Rules

Cultural rules that dictate the appropriate expression of emotions.

Amygdala

The brain structure that serves as the fast pathway for emotions.

Cortex

The brain structure that serves as the slow pathway for emotions, allowing for high interpretations and assessment.

Emotion

A positive or negative experience associated with a particular level of physiological activity.

Multidimensional Scaling

A method used to analyze the dimensions of emotions, including Valence and Physiological arousal.

Valence

The positive or negative experience associated with an emotion.

Physiological Arousal

The physical response associated with emotions, such as heart rate and respiration.

Universality Hypothesis

The theory that emotional expression is innate and universally recognized, increasing survival probability.

Conveying Emotions

The methods used to express emotions, including primary emotional displays like facial expressions and secondary displays like body language.

Motivation

The purpose for or psychological cause of an action.

Drive Reduction Theory

The theory that as an internal drive increases, we are motivated to reduce that drive to maintain homeostasis.

Optimal Arousal Theory

The theory that individuals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A theory that categorizes human needs into a hierarchy, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

Biological Motivation

Motivation driven by biological needs, such as hunger.

Hunger Hormones

Ghrelin signals hunger on, while Leptin signals hunger off.

Hypothalamus

A brain region that regulates hunger, with the lateral area signaling hunger on and the ventromedial area signaling hunger off.

Psychological Motivation

Motivation driven by psychological needs, such as belonging and achievement.

Appraisal

Conscious or unconscious evaluations and interpretations of emotion-relevant aspects of a stimulus or event.

Action Tendencies

a readiness to engage in a specific set of emotion-relevant behaviors.

Two-Factor Theory of Emotion

The theory that stimuli trigger a general state of physiological arousal, which is then interpreted as a specific emotion.

Emotional expression

an observable sign of an emotional state.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

The theory that emotional expressions can cause the emotional experiences they typically signify.

Display rule

a norm for the appropriate expression of emotion.

Drive-Reduction Theory

a theory suggesting that the primary motivation of all organisms is to reduce their drives.

Hedonic principle

the claim that people are motivated to experience pleasure and avoid pain.

Emotion regulation

the strategies people use to influence their own emotional experiences.

Reappraisal

the process of changing one's emotional experience by changing the way one thinks about the emotion-eliciting stimulus.

Evolutionary mismatch

the idea that traits that were adaptive in an ancestral environment may be maladaptive in a modern environment.

Intrinsic motivation

a motivation to take actions that are themselves rewarding.

Extrinsic motivation

a motivation to take actions that are not themselves rewarding, but that lead to reward.

Overjustification effect

A phenomenon whereby people who are rewarded for a behavior become less intrinsically motivated to repeat it.

Conscious motivations

motivations of which people are aware.

Unconscious motivations

motivations of which people are not aware.

Achievement motivation

the desire to experience a sense of accomplishment by meeting one's goals.

Approach motivation

the motivation to experience positive outcomes.

Avoidance motivation

the motivation to avoid experiencing negative outcomes.

Arousal

one of the two underlying dimensions of feelings.

Emotions

reactions to the person's interpretation or appraisal of an event.