Module 4.7 and Eating Disorders

Motivation

A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

Pull/push aspects of motivation

• The bodily push and the nurture pull

• Pulls are from our personal experiences, thoughts, and culture

Instinct

A complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

Animal examples: imprinting in birds & return of salmon to their birthplace

Instinct theory is influenced by…

Physiological needs, bio based

Psychological wants, emotional based

Drive-reduction theory

The idea that a physiological need creates an aroused state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

Homeostasis and its role in Drive-reduction theory

A tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level

Incentives

A postive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

Arousal Theory

Our need to maintain an optimal arousal that motivates behavior meeting no physiological need (socializing, watching a movie, playing a sport, etc)

Sensation-seeking theory

“Sensation seekers” may display trait such as experience seeking thrill or adventure seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility

• Experience seeking - travel to exotic places (experiential)

• Thrill or adventure seeking - sky dive, cage dive with great white, etc)

• Disinhibition - social drinking, reckless drug use, partying (extraverted, neurotic)

• Boredom susceptibility - If high SS score, know that you will get bored and restless

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases

The importance of social connection

Social bonds booted our ancestors’ chances of survival

Self-determination theory of motivation

The theory that we feel motivated to satisfy our needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness

Intrinsic motivation

The desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

Extrinsic motivation

The desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

Role of the Hypothalamus in hunger and satiety (feeling full)

It responds to our current blood chemistry as well as incoming neural info about the body’s state

• Lateral hypothalamus - makes us hungry

• Ventromedial hypothalamus - makes us feel full

Ghrelin hormone

Hormone secreted by empty stomach that sends “I’m hungry” signals to the brain which increases appetite. Stomach goes “grrr” when hungry

Leptin hormone

Protein hormone secreted by fat cells. When it is abundant, causes the brain to increase metabolism

Example of our taste preferences being impacted by biology

When feeling tense or depressed you want more high-calorie foods

Anorexia Nervosa

Which a person maintains a starvation diet despite being significantly underweight. Has inaccurate self perception - perceptual disturbance in body image and denial of condition

Bulimia Nervosa

Person binges is followed by inappropriate weight loss behavior such as vomiting, laxatives, fasting, and excessive exercise - perceptual disturbance in body image and denial of condition

Nature’s impact on a person’s eating disorder

Weight obsessed culture and heredity

Nurture’s impact on a person’s eating disorder

Distorted images, high achieving families, and competition

Treatments for eating disorders

Interactive programs, therapists, nutritionists