AP Psych 7: Motivations and Emotions

AP Psych 7: Motivations, Emotions Motivations - a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior - These are a result of brain activity that is influenced by nature and nurture Instinct - a complex, unlearned behavior that is rigidly patterned through a species. These are actions carried out due to neural impulses that are genetically programmed coded - it does not involve consideration or thought - Ex - beavers do not consciously think about building dams - they are compelled to by instinct Incentives - positive or negative stimuli that motivate behavior - can be used to motivate individuals - extrinsic motivation (external) (ex - offering money) - the desire to perform a behavior to gain external rewards or avoid punishment- used to influence behaviors - intrinsic motivation - (internal) the desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake based on natural interests - used to improve or accomplish a goal, such as one working extra hard at to start a business (ex - trying to become the CEO of a business) Over-justification effect - (intrinsic motivation) if combined with extrinsic motivation/incentives it will likely diminish future performance Homeostasis - the maintenance of a steady internal. Meaning, we are adequately fed, hydrated, aroused, satiated socially, and engaing in meaningful work, we are in a state of homestasis - feeling satisfied and content (ex - regulating blood sugar or urination) - Needs - fundamental biological and psychologucal requirements for physical and mental health - Ex - oxygen, food water, rest - Drives - the physiologycal and psychological arousal that compels us to satisfy our needs. The pain and discomfort of drives such as hunger, thrist, not being able to breath, loneliness, etc., compel us to eat, drive, breath, socialize Drive-reduction theory - the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state that motivates an organism to satisfy a need - attempts to explain motivation as based on the discomfort or pain caused by drives Arousal theory - each person has a unique arousal level that is right for them (the amount of water, sleep, socializing, security, etc., one needs is individually-determined largely by personality, body size, and other biological factors and psychological factor) Ex - if our social stimulation drops too low, we might seek stimulation by going out to a nightclub with friends. If we are overstimulated, we might seek reduced stimulation by selecting a relaxing activity Hunger drive - Appetite is caused by interaction of hormone ghrelin and the hypothalamus. This was primarily discover in rats with damage to the hypothalamus as scientists noted the damage caused over-interest in food or a complete lack of interest in it - We have to battle the availability of calorie-dense and nutrient-rich foods that taste good and activate our reward - (buffet-effect) - When in a social setting, we tend to eat more - Set point - the point at which an individual’s lean weight thermostat is set. If we fall below our set point, we are driven to eat - Sex hormones testosterone and estrogen impact the rate and intersity of one’s sex drive - Men - prefer a higher amount of sexual parnters - Women - prefer a smaller amount of high-quality partners as opposed to high quality - Alfred Kinsey - studied haits, partners, practices, and played a leading role in making sex less taboo Socializing - Our desire to be accepted and thrive in groups is likely-rooted evolutionarily as those driven to stay in groups had a much better chance of survival, and reproduced at much higher rates - To be accepted meant safety, food, and more choice of mates - Abraham Maslow - believed that once our water, food, and security are secured, we gravitate to our acceptance needs. (explains why we spend money on clothes or things for appearances/alter behavior to be accepted by others) - Social media - increased overall social connection with those we know. We tend to use social media to make idealized comparisons with others, exclude one another, gossip, and other malicious practices - Research by jonathan haidt - researched on gen z have shown increases in female diagnoses for depression and anxiety disorders, as well hospital admittances for self-harm - Stress and Coping - Stress - the perception and physiological response to certain events called stressors that we perceive as threatening or challenging - Stressors - events that evoke or initiate a stress reaction - are subjective to the individual, but all trigger the same anxiety-ridden response. The brain sees the stressor as a threat and engages the sympathetic nerous system - Ex - significant life changes (divorce, death, …), essays and tests, public speakings - General adaptation theory (GAT) - the body’s response to all stress (has three stages) - Alarm reaction stage - one’s cortisol (stress hormone) and adrenaline increase in the bloodstream as well as a spike in blood sugar - Resistance stage - attempts to returh the body to its normal state. The body’s parasympathetic nervous system attempts to resist the impact of the stressful stimulus. Hormones return to homeostasis and focus on repair over alertness. - Exhaustion stage - the body has failed to cope with the distessing stimulus (stressor) and continues to focus on alertness and preparation - for reacting to the stressor. The body was wasted most its focus and energy on reacting to stress - Men - more prone to social withdrawal or aggression - Women - tend-and-befriend, and seek support or an outlet to unload their emotions and thoughts - General adaptation syndrome (endless stress) - the prolonged period of stress and engagement to face a ‘threat’ or ‘threats’ that often leads to exhaustion and poor health (researched by Hans Selye) - Can lead to heart disease, headaches, exhaustion, depressed immune system, and delayed repair - Immune system - When focusing the bulk to one;s energy and other resources to alertness and focus on a stressor, it deprives the immune system of these resources - Thoughts and feelings can influence your immune system - Immune system - the body’s defense against infection - B cells - used to product and release antibodies - proteins that bind with infected cells to signals or target for extermination by other lymphocytes - T cells - white blood cells that attack antibody-marked cancer cells, infected cells, and foreign substances - Macrophage and natural killer cells pursue diseased cells and cancers cells without the need for antibodies chemically attached to foreign or infected cells - Coping - Internal locus of control - (best for most tasks) achieve more in school and work, act more independently, and enjoy better mental and physical health - less depended less achieve, less anxious, better at delaying gratification, and better at coping with stresors - External locus of control - (opposition of internal locus of control) - Leads to the belief in the after-life - Problem-focused coping - attempting to alleviate stress directly, usually when we feel we have some control - Ex this coping mechanism would be talking directly to family members after a fight or set of fights rather than venting to someone else about the problem - Emotional-focused coping - attempting to alleviate the stress by avoiding or ignoring a stressor an attending to emotional needs related to one’s stress reaction - Ex - keeping busy with hobbies, distracting ourselves, or seeking support or venting when we feel we cannot work things out with a family member or situation Emotion - A physical, biological response to an external stimulus. Can cause a physical change in one’s physical change in one’s physiology Feelings are the mental associations and reactions to the physical emotion they are essentially your conscious experience of a particular emotion Moods - the persistence of a particular feeling over an extended period of time William james - studied the emotional awareness and physiological response to emotion-arousing stimuli - With Carl Lange, they made the James-Lange theory (stating that our experience of emotion is our awareness of our physiological responses to emotion-arousing stimuli-that the body responds emotionally to the stimuli) - Ex - if one were to encounte a fear-inducing stimulus, an emotional response would occur - Cannon-bard theory - an emotion-arousing stimulus simultaneously triggers physiological responses and the subjective experience of emotion - Stanley Schachter - believed that emotions required both a physiological response and a cognitive label for one’s experience to be considered an emotion (aka two-factor theory - two factors are required; physical arousal and a cognitive label of said arousal) - Muscle-feedback effect - the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger emotional responses and their corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, and happiness - Ex - if one is in a bad mood, they can simply smile and force a laugh to trigger the emotional response, and then feeling, for happiness - Cultures - gestures and expression associated with various emotions, however, can vary with culture - Certain cultures are more accepting of one expressing their emotions through words or actions than others