CHAPTER 8
Motivation and Emotion
MODULE 8.1 MOTIVATION: THE “WHY’S” OF BEHAVIOR
LECTURE OUTLINE
Refer to the Concept Web at the end of this manual for a visual synopsis of all concepts presented
in this module.
I.
Motivation LB 8.1 (Concept Chart 8.1)
A. Factors that activate, direct, and sustain goal-directed behavior
B. Motives are the needs or wants that drive behavior and explain what we do
II. Biological Sources of Motivation
A. Inborn needs rather than learned, learning affects how we satisfy them
B. Includes instincts and drives to satisfy survival needs
C. Instinct theory suggests all behavior is motivated to a great extent by instinct
1. Freud—sexual and aggressive instincts; James listed 37 instincts
2. Criticisms—list of instincts grew too large, describes rather than explains
instincts, behavior more flexible and variable, ignores culture
D. Needs and drives: Maintaining a steady internal state
1. Drive theory (Hull)—biological needs result in drive (body tension) that
motivates behavior; motivation to satisfy the drive is called drive reduction
2. Homeostasis—tendency to maintain steady internal state
3. Primary drives (inborn, e.g., hunger) and secondary drives (experience, e.g.,
money) LB 8.2
E. Optimal level of arousal: What’s optimal for you?
1. Arousal theory—Organisms are encouraged to maintain optimal arousal
2. Sensation-seekers are those who generally have a high need for arousal
3. Yerkes-Dodson law—optimal arousal and performance (Figure 8.1)
III. Psychological Sources of Motivation LB 8.3
A. Incentives—rewards or other stimuli that motivate us to act
B. Cognitive dissonance: Maintaining consistency in attitudes
1. Festinger and Carlsmith (1959)—motivated to maintain consistency in behaviors
and attitudes
2. Resolve inconsistencies by changing behavior, changing attitudes, trying to
explain inconsistencies, or ignoring them (Figure 8.2)
3. Effort justification tendency (harder we work to attain goal, the more we value
it)
C. Psychosocial needs—called interpersonal needs, includes need for achievement
1. McClelland—those with high need for achievement set challenging yet realistic
goals, those with low need for achievement motivated to avoid failure
2. Extrinsic versus intrinsic motivation
3. Achievement motivation and avoidance motivation both drive achievement
IV. The Hierarchy of Needs: Ordering Needs from the Basement to the Attic of Human
Experience
A. Maslow—hierarchy has five levels (Figure 8.3)
B. Critics suggest that the hierarchy is not as fixed as suggested; also same behavior may
reflect multiple needs
MODULE 8.2 HUNGER AND EATING LECTURE OUTLINE
Refer to the Concept Web at the end of this manual for a visual synopsis of all concepts presented
in this module.
I.
What Makes Us Hungry? (Concept Chart 8.2) LB 8.4, LB 8.5
A. When we have not eaten for a while, our blood sugar drops. Fat is released from fat
cells.
B. Hypothalamus regulates hunger and other bodily processes (Figure 8.4)
1. Lateral hypothalamus involved in “turning on” hunger
2. Ventromedial hypothalamus is the hunger off-switch
C. Neuropeptide Y stimulates hunger, the hypothalamus
D. Leptin decreases hunger, reduces production of neuropeptide Y
E. Feelings of pleasure from eating may be influenced by dopamine and endorphins LB
8.6
II. Obesity: A National Epidemic
A. Obesity statistics
1. Nearly 1/3 of Americans are clinically obese
2. More children are becoming overweight
3. More people internationally are becoming obese
B. Body mass index used to determine obesity (Figure 8.5)
C. Causes of obesity
1. Behavioral patterns
2. Hereditary factors
3. Set point theory (genetically predetermined level)
4. Fat cells
5. Environmental factors LB 8.7
6. Emotional factors
D. Exercise and eating habits to help avoid weight problems in Table 8.1
III. Eating Disorders LB 8.8
A. Anorexia nervosa
1. Characterized by intense fear of becoming fat and a distorted body image
2. Serious medical complications
3. Death rate 5–8 % over 10-year period
B. Bulimia nervosa
1. Characterized by episodes of binge eating followed by purging
2. Complications
C. Causes of eating disorders
1. Cultural pressures (Figure 8.6)
2. Perfectionistic personality or need for control
3. Biological factors (genetics, gender) (Figure 8.7)
MODULE 8.3 EMOTIONS LECTURE OUTLINE
Refer to the Concept Web at the end of this manual for a visual synopsis of all concepts presented
in this module.
I.
What Are Emotions? (Concept Chart 8.3) LB 8.9
A. Bodily arousal (nervous system activation)
B. Cognition (subjective, or conscious, experience of the feeling)
C. Expressed behavior (outward expression)
II. Emotional Expression: Read Any Good Faces Lately? LB 8.10
A. Darwin believed emotions are adaptive to survival (humans and primates are similar)
(Figure 8.8)
B. Facial expressions of emotion: Are they universal?
1. Different cultures can identify 6 emotions (anger, fear, disgust, sadness,
happiness, and surprise) LB 8.11
2. Plutchik believes the basic six plus anticipation and acceptance
3. Figure 8.9 shows how primary emotions combine to form more complex
emotions
C. Cultural and gender differences in emotions
1. Display rules describe the cultural customs and norms that regulate the display of
emotions
2. Eckman suggests private emotions similar but rules about expression differ
3. Gender specific rules—men do not have as much latitude in expression as
women (except for anger) (See Reality Check, LB 8.12)
D. Facial-feedback hypothesis—mimicking facial movements produces emotion
III. Brain Structures in Emotions: Where Do Emotions Reside?
A. Emotion involves activity of the autonomic nervous system (fight-or-flight)
B. Limbic system
1. Amygdala evaluates potential threats, works with hypothalamus fear response
(Figure 8.11)
2. Hippocampus
C. Cerebral cortex—Evaluates meaning of situations and plans response (approach or
avoid)
IV. Theories of Emotion: Which Comes First—the Thought or the Feeling?
A. James-Lange theory—body reacts first then emotions experienced (bear, run, fear)
B. Cannon-Bard theory—bodily reactions and emotions occur simultaneously (bear, fear,
run)
C. Two-factor model—Schacter and Singer; general arousal plus labeling
D. Dual-pathway model of fear—LeDoux; fear processed in two ways (Figure 8.12)
1. Stimulus goes to the thalamus, then to cerebral cortex for careful processing
2. Stimulus goes to the thalamus, then to the amygdala for quick processing
E. What does it all mean? Figure 8.13 provides a synopsis
V. Happiness: What Makes You Happy? LB 8.13
A. Wealth, marriage, and health make only a small contribution to happiness
B. Friends and faith seem linked to happiness
C. Lykeen believes that people have a particular set point for happiness
D. Physiological factors: Searching for the hard wiring of human happiness
1. Davidson points to the prefrontal cortex in the left hemisphere (more activity in
the left makes a person more happy and energetic)
2. Buddhist style of mindful mediation may make people more happy and serene
Psychological factors
1. What you think may be more important than what you have
2. Sociability and extraversion may be linked to happiness
F. Positive psychology: Using science to help people become happier
1. Ckikszentmihalyi and Seligman believe you can increase happiness
2. Gratitude visits
3. Three blessings
4. Savorings
VI. Love: The Deepest Emotion (Figure 8.14)
A. Sternberg—Triangular model of love: Intimacy, passion, and decision/commitment
B. Different combinations of the components reflect different types of love (Table 8.2)
VII. The Polygraph: How Credible Is It? LB 8.14
VIII. Emotional Intelligence: How Well Do You Manage Your Emotions? (See Exploring
Psychology, LB 8.15)
A. Knowing your emotions
B. Managing your emotions
C. Motivating yourself
D. Recognizing emotions in others
E. Helping others handle their emotions
E.
MODULE 8.4 APPLICATION: MANAGING ANGER: WHAT
CAN YOU DO TO CONTROL YOUR ANGER? LECTURE OUTLINE
Refer to the Concept Web at the end of this manual for a visual synopsis of all concepts presented
in this module.
I.
What Can You Do To Control Your Anger? LB 8.16
A. Suggestions for identifying and controlling anger include (Table 8.3):
1. Become aware of your emotional reactions in anger-provoking situations
2. Review the evidence
3. Practice more adaptive thinking
4. Engage in competing responses—conjure up soothing mental images, relax
5. Don’t get steamed—make a plan of action to resolve conflict instead
6. Oppose anger with empathy
7. Congratulate yourself for responding assertively rather than aggressively
8. Scale back your expectations of others
9. Modulate verbal responses
10. Learn to express positive feelings