Psychology: Unit 3-Motivation/Emotion

Motivation: A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

Instinct Theory: We are motivated by our inborn automated behaviors

• But instincts only explain why we do a small fraction of our behaviors

Drive-reduction Theory: The idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need

• The need is usually to maintain homeostasis

We are not only pushed by our needs, but also by our incentives: a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

• Abraham Maslow said one is motivated by needs and all needs are not created equal
• We are driven to satisfy the lower level needs first

Biological Basis of Hunger

• Hunger is both psychological and physiological
• Hunger does not come from our stomach
• It comes from out brain
• It comes from the hypothalamus (part of the brain)

Lateral Hypothalamus

• When stimulated, it makes you hungry
• When it is lesioned (destroyed) you will never be hungry again

Ventromedial hypothalamus

• When stimulated you feel full
• When lesioned (destroyed) you will never feel full again

How does the hypothalamus work?

2 Theories

1. Leptin
• Leptin: A protein produced by bloated fat cells.
• Hypothalamus senses rises in leptin and will curb eating and increase productivity
• Can leptin injections help me?
2. Set points
• Hypothalamus acts like a thermostat
• We are meant to be in a certain weight range
• When we fall below weight our body will increase hunger and decrease energy expenditure (Basic Metabolic Rate)
• What happens if we go above our set point

Body Chemistry

• Glucose
• The hormone insulin glucose to fat
• When glucose levels drop-hunger increases

Hypothalamus and Hormones

The hypothalamus monitors a number of hormones that are related to hunger

Hormone                           Tissue                              Response

Orexin increase              Hypothalamus                Increase in Hunger

Ghrelin increase                Stomach                      Increase in Hunger

Insulin increase                Pancreas                       Increase in Hunger

Leptin increase                 Fat Cells                     Decrease in Hunger

PPY increase               Digestive Tract               Decrease In Hunger

The Psychology of Hunger

• External people whose eating is triggered more by the presence of food that internal factors

Eating Disorders

Bulimia Nervosa: Characterized by bringing (eating large amounts of food) and purging (getting rid of the food)

Anorexia Nervosa: Starve themselves to below 85% of their normal body weight

• See themselves as fat
• Vast majority are women

Achievement Motivator

What motivates us to work? (school, job, sports, video games, relationships, etc...)

Intrinsic Motivator: Rewards we get internally, such as enjoyment or satisfaction

Extrinsic Motivators: Rewards that we get for accomplishments from outside ourselves (grades, money, etc.)

Management Theory: Management/Teaching Styles role closely to Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivators

Theory X

• Managers believe employees will work only if rewarded with benefits or threatened with punishments. 
• Think employees are Extrinsically Motivated 
• Only interested in Maslow's lower needs.

Theory Y

• Managers believe that employees are internally motivated to do good work and policies should encourage this internal motive
• Only interested in Maslow's higher needs.

Emotion

James-Lange Theory of Emotion: Experience of emotion is awareness of [hysiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli.

• We feel emotion because of biological changes caused by stress.
• The body changes and our mind recognizes the feeling

Example:

1. Sight of incoming car (perception of stimuli)
2. Pounding heart
3. Fear

Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion: Emotion-Arousing stimuli simultaneously trigger

• Physiological responses
• Subjective experience of emotion

Example:

1. Sight of incoming car (perception of stimulus)
2. Pounding heart (arousal) and Fear (emotion)

Schachter's Two factor Theory of Emotion: To experience emotion one must:

• Be physically aroused
• Cognitively label the arousal

Example:

1. Sight on incoming car (perception of arousal)
2. Pounding heart (arousal) and Cognitive Label, "I'm afraid"
3. Fear (emotional)

Emotion-Lie Detector

• Polygraph
• Machine commonly used in attempts to detect lies
• Measures several of the physiological responses accompanying emotion
• Perspiration
• Cardiovascular
• Breathing Changes

Experienced Emotion

• Cathens
• Emotional release
• Catharsis Hypothesis: "Releasing" aggressive energy (through action or fantasy) relieves aggressive urges

Feel-Good, Do-Good Phenomenon: People's tendency to be helpful when already in a good mood.

Adaption-Level Phenomenon: Tendency to form judgement relative to a "neutral" level

• Brightness of lights
• Volume of Sound
• Level of Income
• Defined by your prior experience

Relative Deprivation: Perception that someone is worse off relative to those with whom one compares one-self.