Comprehensive Study Notes on Motivation, Human Drives, and Social Rejection

Motivation Definition: Motivation is defined as a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior.
Hull's Drive Reduction Theory ( $1943$ ): * This theory posits that motivation is rooted in need-fulfillment actions. * Behavior is driven by the desire to reduce internal tension caused by unmet biological needs.
Smith's Optimal Arousal Theory ( $1990$ ): * Homeostasis & Set Points: This theory involves the maintenance of a steady internal state (homeostasis) and the existence of specific set points that the body seeks to maintain. * Yerkes-Dodson Curve: This concept describes the empirical relationship between arousal and performance, suggesting there is an optimal level of arousal for peak performance; performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point, after which it decreases.

The Need Hierarchy Concept: According to Maslow, humans are motivated by a hierarchy of needs. Basic needs must be satisfied before an individual can address higher-level needs related to personal growth.
The Five Tiers of the Hierarchy (Ordered from Highest Priority to Lowest Priority): 1. Physiological (Highest Priority): These are essential for survival and include food, water, warmth, oxygen, and sleep. 2. Safety: This level involves the need for security, protection, and freedom from threats. 3. Belonging and Love: This tier addresses social needs, including acceptance and friendship. 4. Esteem: This involves the need for a good self-opinion, accomplishments, and a positive reputation. 5. Self-actualization (Lowest Priority): This represents the highest level of growth, defined as living to one's full potential and achieving personal dreams and aspirations.

Self-Determination Theory ( $Deci, 1983$ ): This theory argues that for people to truly thrive, they must possess intrinsic motivation.
Motivation Types: * Intrinsic Motivation: Motivation that comes from within the individual, driven by internal rewards. * Extrinsic Motivation: Motivation driven by external rewards or to avoid punishment.
The Overjustification Effect: This phenomenon occurs when an expected external incentive such as money or prizes decreases a person's intrinsic motivation to perform a task.
Facets of Intrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation is manifested through three key components: * Autonomy: The need to feel in control of one's own behaviors and goals. * Competence: The need to master tasks and learn different skills. * Relatedness: The need to experience a sense of belonging and attachment to other people.

The Need to Belong Definition ( $Baumeister \& Leary, 1991$ ): This is defined as a long-lasting desire to form frequent and high-quality social relationships.
Facets of the Need to Belong: * High Quantity: This involves the frequency of social contact across various mediums. It includes the ability to see, hear, and touch others, and extends to interactions on social media. * High Quality: This refers to the depth of the relationships, characterized by passion, intimacy, and trust.
Conceptual Inquiry: The theory questions whether one facet (high quantity or high quality) can be sustained or satisfy the need to belong without the presence of the other.

Social Pain Theory ( $Eisenberger \& Lieberman, 2004$ ): This theory posits that the brain processes social pain using the same neural pathways as physical pain.
Behavioral Consequences of Rejection: * Increases in aggressive behavior. * Reductions in prosocial behavior (actions intended to help others).
Cognitive Consequences of Rejection ( $Romero-Canyas \, et \, al., 2010$ ): * Rejection Sensitivity: After experiencing rejection, individuals may become hyper-attentive to social information. An example of this is a heightened interest in the details of other people's lives. * Intelligence Reductions: Rejection can lead to a decrease in intellectual performance, often caused by the presence of intrusive thoughts. * Self-Control Reductions: Individuals often experience a diminished capacity for self-control following social rejection.

Emotional Numbness ( $DeWall \, et \, al., 2009$ ): Researchers have found that individuals often report "feeling nothingness" immediately following a rejection.
Initial Response Mechanism: Numbness is typically the first response to rejection.
Alignment with Social Pain Theory: * Just as severe physical pain can trigger the release of endorphins to dull the sensation, social pain triggers a similar emotional numbing effect. * This state of numbness is theorized to help individuals move on from the distressing event.