Unit 6 Motivation, Emotion, and Personality

Core Motivation Theories

Big-picture ideas behind why we do anything—eating, studying, seeking adventure.

Drive-Reduction Theory

Motivation to fix imbalances in the body, driven by needs like hunger and thirst.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Best performance happens at moderate arousal; easy tasks benefit from higher arousal while difficult tasks need lower arousal.

Self-Determination Theory

Motivation comes from intrinsic (enjoyment) and extrinsic (reward or punishment) factors.

Incentive Theory

Explains how external rewards (or punishments) drive behavior.

Instinct Theory

Hardwired behaviors in animals; humans show basic patterns but are more flexible.

Approach-Approach Conflict

Choosing between two good options (e.g., selecting between two colleges).

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between two bad options (e.g., vacuum or do homework).

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

One choice has both pros and cons (e.g., a great job offer far from home).

Experience Seeking

Desiring new ideas or lifestyles; part of sensation-seeking motivation.

Eating as Motivated Behavior

Driven by internal signals from the body and external cues from the environment.

Ghrelin

Hormone that triggers hunger.

Leptin

Hormone that signals fullness.

Hypothalamus

Regulates homeostasis and monitors glucose in the blood.

Belongingness as Motivation

Humans are naturally driven to form connections for better mental and emotional health.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Facial muscles can influence emotional states.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

Positive emotions broaden thinking and build long-term resources; negative emotions narrow focus for survival.

Stress

A response to a demand or threat; affects both mental and physical health.

Eustress

Good stress that can motivate and focus you.

Distress

Bad stress that feels overwhelming.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

Hans Selye's model describing the body's stress response: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.

Tend-and-Befriend Response

Responding to stress by caring for oneself or others and seeking social support.

Problem-Focused Coping

Directly tackles the source of stress, best for changing or controlling situations.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Manages emotions rather than fixing the problem; useful when the problem can’t be changed.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A model suggesting human needs are organized in a pyramid, requiring lower-level needs like safety to be met before higher-level needs like self-actualization.

James-Lange Theory

The theory that emotions are the result of our physical responses to external stimuli (e.g., we feel sad because we are crying).

Cannon-Bard Theory

The theory that an emotion and the body's physiological reaction occur simultaneously but independently.

Schachter-Singer Two-Factor Theory

Suggests that emotion comes from a combination of physical arousal and a cognitive label we apply to that arousal.

Intrinsic Motivation

Engaging in an activity because it is naturally satisfying or interesting to the individual.

Extrinsic Motivation

Engaging in an activity to obtain an external reward or avoid a negative outcome.

Self-Efficacy

A person's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a specific task.

Homeostasis

The physiological state of equilibrium or balance that the body naturally seeks to maintain.

Relative Deprivation

The perception that one is worse off relative to the people they compare themselves to.

Adaptation-Level Phenomenon

The tendency to judge new stimuli or experiences relative to a neutral level based on previous experiences.

Core Motivation Theories

Big-picture ideas behind why we do anything—eating, studying, seeking adventure.

Drive-Reduction Theory

Proposes that physiological needs create a psychological tension or "drive" that motivates behavior to return to a balanced state called homeostasis.

Arousal Theory

Suggests individuals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of stimulation; we seek excitement when bored (low arousal) and relaxation when overwhelmed (high arousal).

Yerkes-Dodson Law

States that performance is best under moderate arousal; easy tasks benefit from higher arousal, while difficult tasks require lower arousal.

Incentive Theory

Focuses on the "pull" of external stimuli; behaviors are driven by the desire to obtain rewards or avoid punishments.

Instinct/Evolutionary Theory

Argues that motivation is innate and genetically fixed for survival, such as nesting patterns in animals or rooting reflexes in humans.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A pyramid of needs where lower-level requirements (physiological, safety) must generally be met before higher-level needs (belonging, esteem, self-actualization) are pursued.

Self-Actualization

The highest level of Maslow's hierarchy, representing the drive to realize one's full potential.

Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Focuses on intrinsic motivation based on three core human needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

Three Needs of SDT

1. Competence: Mastery of skills.

2. Autonomy: Sense of control.

3. Relatedness: Sense of connection to others.

Intrinsic Motivation

Engaging in an activity because it is naturally satisfying, interesting, or provides personal enjoyment.

Extrinsic Motivation

Engaging in an activity to obtain an external reward (like money or grades) or to avoid a negative outcome.

Achievement Motivation

The desire for significant accomplishment, mastery of skills, and meeting high standards.

Approach-Approach Conflict

Choosing between two desirable options (e.g., two great job offers).

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between two undesirable options (e.g., doing chores or doing homework).

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

One choice that has both positive and negative consequences (e.g., a high-paying job that requires long hours).

Ghrelin

The hormone secreted by an empty stomach that sends "I'm hungry" signals to the brain.

Leptin

A protein hormone secreted by fat cells that signals the brain to decrease hunger and increase metabolism.

Hypothalamus

The brain structure that regulates homeostasis, including the monitoring of blood glucose and hunger signals.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis

The idea that facial expressions can influence our internal emotional experiences.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The body's three-stage response to chronic stress: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Homeostasis

The physiological state of internal equilibrium or balance that the body naturally seeks to maintain (balance).