Motivation and Emotion
Seminar 1
The motivational process
Motivation and emotion
Nathalia Quiroz Molinares
Degree in Psychology
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Motivation and Emotion
1. General instructions
The objective of this exercise is to analyze a behavior aimed at satisfying a
primary motive (hunger, thirst, sleep, etc.) by describing the motivational process
associated with its achievement, following F. Palmero's model.
In the first part of the task, it will be necessary to describe the situation in which the
behavior takes place (for example, by indicating the background) to provide
context for the subsequent analysis. Following these questions:
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What primary motive is the individual trying to satisfy, and why?
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Are there any personal characteristics of the individual that should be
mentioned?
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Does any aspect of their history influence the behavior, goal selection, or
establishment of objectives?
•
What is their environment like? What are the environmental characteristics in
which the behavior occurs?
In the second part, the different stages of the motivational process should be
described, aiming to provide as much information as possible. The information
included for each stage of the process should answer the following questions:
1. Stimulus Appearance. What stimulus has triggered the motivational
process? Is its nature internal or external? Is the stimulus real, or is it a
hallucination or perceptual distortion?
2. Stimulus Perception. Has the stimulus been perceived? If so, was it
consciously or unconsciously perceived?
3. Evaluation/Appraisal.
o
Evaluation: What objectives might the individual attempt to achieve?
What is the subjective probability of success for each of them?
o
Appraisal: What level of satisfaction is associated with each
objective? What variables influence this process—biological,
emotional, or cognitive? Do these processes occur consciously or
unconsciously?
4. Decision-Making/Goal Selection. What is the relationship between (1) the
need/desire, (2) the value of the objective, and (3) the expectation of
achieving it?
5. Motivated Behavior. What is the most relevant behavior? Why? Is the level
of activation low or high? How is the activation channeled, and in what
direction does the behavior move?
6. Outcome Control. Does the discrepancy between the current situation and
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Motivation and Emotion
the expected outcome decrease? Is the behavior initiated cumulatively? To
what is the result attributed?
2. Complete this chart
PHASE
MOTIVATIONAL PROCESS
DESCRIPTION
Stimulus
Stimulus perception
Evaluation/Assessment
Goal Selection
Motivated Behavior
Results Control
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Motivation and Emotion
3. Example of different behaviors
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4.
Ordering food delivery at 3 a.m. because hunger makes it impossible to
sleep.
Drinking water from the shower because there is no potable water
available, and thirst is intense.
Impulsively eating an entire cake after a long fast without realizing how
hungry one was.
Falling asleep in a work meeting after several nights of insomnia.
Stealing a piece of food from a friend because hunger is unbearable, and
no lunch was brought.
Looking for a hidden place to sleep at university after staying up all night
studying.
Class Participation: Visual Representation
Create a visual representation of the motivational process and upload it to
the assignments section in the virtual campus. This will count as a class
participation assignment (10%)
5. Considerations
This document is NOT to be handed in. You should only upload the Visual
Representation of the motivational process. Keep the document as study
material, as the seminar grade (20%) will be evaluated through
True/False questions in the exam.
In the next class, each group will be asked a question about their work,
which will complement the class participation grade along with the uploaded
diagram.
ChatGPT or any AI tool is not allowed, and if its use is suspected, it will
result in a penalty.
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