PSYCH 1010 CH 10 & 11

Motivation

process that energizes, guides, & maintains behaviour toward a goal

Maslow's Hierarchy of Need

arrangement of needs in which basic survival needs must be met before people can satisfy higher needs

drive

psychological state that creates arousal to motivate an organism to satisfy a need. helps maintain homeostasis

negative-feedback loop

systems within the body where feedback decreases the activity of the system

Yerkes-Dodson Law

principal that performance on challenging tasks increases with arousal up to a moderate level. Too much/too little arousal results in poor performance

Incentives

external objects or goals that motivate behaviours

Extrinsic motivation

directed towards goals, typically for a reward (ex: paycheck)

Intrinsic Motivation

value or pressure directed towards an activity (ie reading)

Balance theory

people have preferences for triads where relationships are harmonious and are in adversion to disharmonious triads

cognitive dissonance

unpleasant feeling of being aware of holding two conflicting beliefs/or a belief that conflicts with behaviours

functional explanations

broader perspectives, why do people have certain behaviours?

setpoint

the target value/ideal range a specific physiological parameter, like body temp

opponent-process theory

the brain tries to return to emotional and physiological balance, or homeostasis, by activating an opposing emotional response to a primary one

eustress

stress caused by positive events

distress

stress caused by negative events

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adreal axis

body system involved in stress responses

General adaptation system

consistent pattern of responses to stress that consists of 3 stages: alarm, resistance, exhaustion

tend & befriend response

tendency to protect & care for offspring & form social bonds rather than fight/flee from a threat

lymphocytes

specialized white blood cells that make up the immune system

Type A behaviour pattern

pattern of behaviour characterized by competitiveness, achievement orientation, aggressiveness, hostility, impatience w others, and inability to relax

primary appraisals

part of the coping process that involves making decisions about whether a stimulus is stressful, benign, or irrelevant

secondary appraisals

part of coping process where people evaluate their response options & choose coping behaviours

emotion-focused coping

people try to prevent having emotional responses to a stressor

problem-focused coping

taking direct steps to confront or minimize a stressor

buffering hypothesis

when others provide emotional support, the recipient is better able to cope with stressful events

thrifty-gene hypothesis

a theory that proposes that certain genes evolved in humans to help them survive periods of famine (ie slower metabolism)

self-affirmation

need for self that is coherent and tolerable

self-actualization

state achieved when goals & desires are achieved

allostatic load

the long-term negative impact of the stress response on the body

coping response

any attempt made to avoid, escape from, or minimize a stressor