Unit 7 ap psychology Motivation v.s. Emotion

Key Psychologists & Contributions

Motivation & Needs

Abraham Maslow – Developed the Hierarchy of Needs, which proposes that human motivation is structured in five levels:

Physiological needs (food, water, sleep)

Safety needs (security, shelter, stability)

Love and belongingness (friendships, relationships, community)

Esteem needs (self-confidence, achievement, respect from others)

Self-actualization (realizing one's potential, creativity, personal growth)

Important because it explains how needs must be met progressively.

A.L. Washburn – Conducted hunger research with Walter Cannon:

Swallowed a balloon to measure stomach contractions.

Found that stomach contractions accompany hunger pangs.

However, hunger is also influenced by brain signals and hormones, not just the stomach.

Emotion Theories

Walter Cannon & Philip Bard – Proposed the Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion:

Argued that emotions and physiological responses occur simultaneously, not sequentially.

Example: Seeing a bear causes both fear and an increased heart rate at the same time.

William James & Carl Lange – Developed the James-Lange Theory of Emotion:

Emotions arise after physiological reactions.

Example: "I feel afraid because my heart is pounding."

This suggests bodily reactions cause emotions rather than the other way around.

Stanley Schachter & Jerome Singer – Created the Two-Factor Theory of Emotion:

Emotions result from physiological arousal + cognitive labeling.

Example: If your heart races and you are in a scary situation, you label the emotion as fear; if you are at a party, you might label it as excitement.

Paul Ekman – Studied facial expressions and emotion universality:

Found that emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, and fear are recognized across all cultures.

Supports the idea that emotions are biologically programmed.

Hans Selye – Developed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which describes how the body responds to stress:

Alarm stage – Initial reaction to stress (fight-or-flight response)

Resistance stage – Body adapts to stress, but remains on high alert

Exhaustion stage – Prolonged stress leads to depletion of resources and burnout

His research explains the long-term effects of stress on health.

Key Terms & Concepts

Motivation

Motivation – The drive that initiates, directs, and sustains behavior toward a goal.

Instinct – A complex, unlearned behavior present in all members of a species (e.g., infant reflexes).

Drive-Reduction Theory – Suggests that physiological needs create an internal drive that compels behavior to reduce the need.

Example: Feeling thirsty (drive) motivates you to drink water (behavior).

Self-Determination Theory – Proposes that humans seek autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their behavior.

Homeostasis – The body's tendency to maintain internal stability (e.g., regulating body temperature, glucose levels).

Incentive – A positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior (e.g., money as a reward).

Sensation Seeking – The tendency to seek out new and thrilling experiences, linked to optimum arousal theory.

Social Conflict Situations – Situations involving choices between competing motives:

Approach-Approach Conflict – Choosing between two desirable options (e.g., picking between two favorite restaurants).

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict – Choosing between two undesirable options (e.g., doing chores or homework).

Approach-Avoidance Conflict – A single option has both pros and cons (e.g., wanting ice cream but being lactose intolerant).

Double Approach-Avoidance Conflict – Choosing between two options that both have pros and cons (e.g., picking between two job offers with different benefits).

Hunger & Metabolism

Glucose – The body's main source of energy; low glucose levels trigger hunger.

Set Point – The weight range the body tries to maintain through metabolic processes.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – The rate at which the body burns energy while at rest.

Ghrelin – A hunger hormone that signals the brain when it's time to eat.

Leptin – A hormone that signals satiety and reduces hunger.

Theories of Emotion

Emotion – A state of feeling that involves physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and cognitive processing.

James-Lange Theory – Emotion arises from bodily reactions (e.g., "I am scared because I am trembling").

Cannon-Bard Theory – Emotions and bodily responses happen simultaneously (e.g., "I feel fear and my heart is racing at the same time").

Two-Factor Theory (Schachter-Singer) – Emotion results from arousal + cognitive labeling.

Broaden and Build Theory – Positive emotions broaden cognitive abilities and help build personal resources.

Facial Feedback Hypothesis – Facial expressions can influence emotions (e.g., forcing a smile can make you feel happier).

Display Rules – Cultural norms about how and when emotions should be expressed.