AP Psychology
1/23/14
Motivation
• What is motivation?
• What are the four basic theories of
motivation?
Instinct theory
• Early 1900s
• Every behavior was explained as being an
“instinct.”
• Instincts are only complex behaviors that are
unlearned and a fixed pattern throughout a
species.
• This was replaced by the evolutionary
perspective--genes create predispositions for
behavior.
Drive-reduction theory
• A physiological need creates a state of arousal
that drives the organism to reduce said need.
• Goal is homeostasis.
• Incentives (positive/negative stimuli) also
provide motivation.
Arousal theory
• Actions are driven by a desire for maximum
stimulation
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
1. Self-actualization needs (“full person
potential”—to be good, fully alive, and find
meaning in life)
2.
3.
4.
5.
Esteem needs
Belongingness/love needs
Safety needs
Physiological needs
• Give an example of each.
Maslow
• Do you believe Maslow’s hierarchy is in the
correct order? Why/why not?
• Give examples of human behavior to justify
your opinion.
Physiology of hunger
• Hunger is caused by:
Stomach pangs (contractions)
Glucose levels (low)
Hypothalamus (lateral & ventromedial)
Hormones (ghrelin, leptin, PYY)
Ghrelin
• Ghrelin is a hormone produced in the stomach and the function of which is
to tell the brain that the body has to be fed. Thus, the level of this secretion
increases before eating and decreases after. It is known to be important in
the development of obesity, given that, on stimulating the appetite, it
favours an increase in body weight, explained Ms Amaia Rodríguez
Murueta-Goyena, doctor in biology and main researcher of the study.
• However, researchers at the University Hospital of Navarra have discovered
that, besides stimulating the hypothalamus to generate appetite, ghrelin
also acts on the tabula rasa cortex. They observed how this hormone
favoured the accumulation of lipids in visceral fatty tissue. In concrete, it
causes the over-expression of the fatty genes that take part in the retention
of lipids, explained Ms Rodríguez.
• It is precisely this accumulated fat in the region of the abdomen that is
deemed to be most harmful, as it is accompanied by comorbidities, visceral
obesity being related to higher blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.
Moreover, being located in the abdominal zone and in direct contact with
the liver, this type of fatty tissue favours the formation of liver fat and
increases the risk of developing resistance to insulin. Normally, on being
associated with hypertension, high levels of triglycerides, resistance to
insulin and hypercholesterolemia, visceral fat favours the metabolic
syndrome, the researcher pointed out.
Physiology of hunger
• Set point: “weight thermostat.”
The point where your body’s weight is set.
Below = increased hunger/decreased
metabolism, above = decreased
hunger/increased metabolism.
How does this impact your thoughts on diets?
• “Settling point” emphasizes
social/environmental impact on this point,
whereas set point focuses on
biology/genetics.
Physiology of hunger
• Basal metabolic rate: energy expenditure to
maintain basic body functions when at rest.
Basal = basic
Which theory seems more valid—”set point” or
“settling point?”
http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerp
ts/etiology-of-overweight-and-obesity-set-pointor-settling-point-
Anti-obesity medicine
• http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/25
/161583063/two-new-drugs-may-help-infight-against-obesity
• According to psychological principles, how do
these drugs work?
Eating disorders
• Anorexia nervosa: limiting food intake even
when significantly below normal weight.
• Bulimia nervosa: overeating followed by a
purge. Marked by weight fluctuation.
• Typical causes: negative self-image, childhood
obesity, competitive/high-achieving family,
genetic susceptibility, weight-conscious
cultures, pressure on women, media
pressures.
From the APA
• Who suffers from eating disorders?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, eating
disorders primarily affect girls and women.1 But eating disorders
aren't just a problem for the teenage women so often depicted
in the media. Men and boys can also be vulnerable. About a
quarter of preadolescent cases of anorexia occur in boys, for
example. And binge eating disorder strikes males and females
about equally. People sometimes have eating disorders without
their families or friends ever suspecting that they have a
problem. Aware that their behavior is abnormal, people with
eating disorders may withdraw from social contact, hide their
behavior, and deny that their eating patterns are problematic.
Making an accurate diagnosis requires the involvement of a
licensed psychologist or other appropriate mental health expert.
From the APA
• What causes eating disorders?
Certain psychological factors and personality traits may predispose
people to developing eating disorders. Many people with eating disorders
suffer from low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, and intense
dissatisfaction with the way they look.
Specific traits are linked to each of the disorders. People with anorexia
tend to be perfectionistic, for instance, while people with bulimia are often
impulsive. Physical factors such as genetics also may play a role in putting
people at risk.
A wide range of situations can precipitate eating disorders in
susceptible individuals. Family members or friends may repeatedly tease
people about their bodies. Individuals may be participating in gymnastics or
other sports that emphasize low weight or a certain body image. Negative
emotions or traumas such as rape, abuse, or the death of a loved one can also
trigger disorders. Even a happy event, such as giving birth, can lead to
disorders because of the stressful impact of the event on an individual's new
role and body image.
Once people start engaging in abnormal eating behaviors, the problem
can perpetuate itself. Bingeing can set a vicious cycle in motion, for instance, as
individuals purge to rid themselves of excess calories and psychic pain, then
binge again to escape problems in their day-to-day lives.
Evaluating eating disorders
• Which factors do you believe are most
important in causing eating disorders? Why?
Homework
• Read pages 481-494.