Motivation and Emotion Motivation – why people do the things they do. Feelings or ideas that cause us to act towards a goal Theories of Motivation 1.) Instinct Theory: (evolutionary perspective) – automatic behaviors in response to specific stimuli 2.) Drive Reduction Theory: behavior is motivated by biological needs Needs: required for survival Drives: impulse to act in a way that satisfies a need Body seeks homeostasis – a balanced state where our needs are being met Ex: I skip breakfast and by 10:00 am I am starving (need). I have a drive to borrow money from a friend and sneak out of class to get a snack from the vending machine to return my body to homeostasis Theories of Motivation 3.) Arousal Theory – when people seek an optimal level of excitement or arousal. People with high arousal levels are drawn to risky/exciting behaviors – sky diving, mountain climbing, explorers, etc. 4.) Incentive Theory – we do behaviors to attain a reward – end of year bonus, more money for a higher degree, etc.) 5.) Maslow’s: hierarchy of needs – not all needs are equal. Needs are prioritized and ones on bottom must be met first. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Ultimate goal = self actualization – reaching one’s ultimate potential. Hunger and Eating Motivation Hypothalamus Hypothalamus is biologically involved in regulating our hunger. It helps monitor the body chemistry (ration of glucose and insulin – hormone secreted by the pancreas) and makes us feel hungry when we need to eat and satiated when we don’t need to eat Opposing parts Lateral Hypothalamus – send signal to eat Ventromedial Hypothalamus – sends single of satiety When this works correctly the hypothalamus helps us to maintain our ideal set point – body’s perfect weight based on our gender, build, and metabolic rate. Psychologically we can over-ride the hypothalamus when we want to which is why most people are not at their set point. Psychology of hunger Often we eat or want to eat for reasons that have nothing to do with biology Internal eaters – less affected by the presence of food, the clock, or their emotions. They are more likely to eat when they are truly biologically hungry. i.e. “no thanks for the doughnut. I just ate breakfast and am not hungry” External eaters – eat based on external food cues. It’s time to eat, that food looks good, I am sad and want some ice cream, etc. “Man that doughnut looks good even thought I just ate breakfast. How can you pass up a doughnut?” Psychology of hunger Garcia Effect – learned taste aversions (classical conditioning) will make us not want certain foods even if we are hungry. To this day I don’t like Kraft macaroni and cheese! Culture - we typically prefer foods that are most familiar to us (connected to mere exposure effect) Eating Disorders - BULIMIA Binge – consuming a large amount of calories in short period of time (usually less than 2 hours). Purge – self induced vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise 2X a week for 3 months More commonly women Usually obsessed with food, weight, and body image Easy to hide – most bulimics maintain a normal weight Problems – electrolyte imbalance, dental problems, tears in esophagus, dehydration, abrasions on knuckles, often co-exists with anxiety or depression Bulimia Eating Disorders - ANOREXIA Diagnostic Criteria 1.) 85% or less of ideal body weight (i.e. really thin) 2.) restricting – intentionally not eating 3.) skewed body image More likely in women, teenage girls Often perfectionist, over-achieving personality (type A, obsessive, intensely concerned about how others perceive them) More common among Caucasians Weight restricting sports especially at risk – dance, ice skating, gymnastics, etc. Stop menstruation Anorexia…inside the body Brittle bones Hair falls out Muscles atrophy Brain atrophy Blood pressure drops Heart slows Cold Anorexia is lethal – it has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, including depression (10%) Culture and Anorexia and Bulimia Eating disorders affected by media driven culture (especially in the Western world) that focuses on perfect, thin, ideal – i.e. Barbie Women more likely than men to have negative body image ½ women report having a negative body image Models and “ideal” body has gotten thinner and thinner over the years Even girls at a very young age (pre-teen) diet and are aware of weight Eating Disorders - OBESITY Severely overweight (often in excess of 100 extra lbs.), BMI 30+, and excess weight affects health CDC says 66% of adults in American are overweight and 27% are obese. These numbers have been on the rise. The top 4 killers in American are related to weight – heart attack, stroke, type II diabetes, and cancer WHY? – fast food, portion size, sedentary, genetic predisposition, etc. BMI Chart Sexual Motivation Sexual motivation is vital for the continuation of any species. Reproduction is the primary task of most living organisms. Like hunger, sex is motivated by both biological and psychological factors. Sexual Response Cycle 4 stages 1.) excitement – genitals engorge with blood, increase heart rate 2.) plateau – heart rate and breathing continue to increase 3.) orgasm – genital contractions, ejaculation 4.) resolution/refractory period – body returns to un aroused, normal state. Stages are same for both genders. Sexual motivation Male hormone - testosterone Female hormone – estrogen Psychological factors affect sexual motivation (i.e. attraction varies) Sexual attitudes and behaviors often vary significantly across time and cultures. Sexual orientation – cultures across time have been predominantly heterosexual yet homosexuality seems to have been an ever present minority in all cultures APA drops homosexuality as mental illness in 1973 Gay marriage – big issue in political scene today See text p. 471-477 – nature/nurture evidence Social Motivation What motivates behaviors more complicated than sex and eating? Your attitude, society, family, friends, culture, etc. will also affect what you are or aren’t motivated to do. Social Motivation 1.) Humans have an innate need to belong, be accepted, and maintain social relationships (think of Maslow, Harlow) 2.) Achievement Motivation – desire for significant accomplishment, mastery of skill, attainment of high standard AM varies from person to person and from activity to activity (I am highly motivated to achieve in sports, not at all in music) People with high AM prefer difficult but attainable tasks – they don’t like things that are too easy or that are impossible to achieve People with high AM are more persistent and less likely to give up on their goals. They hate losing or failing. Social Motivation Intrinsic Extrinsic You do things for yourself You do things for external – you enjoy it, it is rewarding You would do it if no one was watching or there were no reward Ex: Johnny does his HW because he finds the content interesting reasons – outside rewards Recognition, money, promotion, expectations Ex: Johnny does his HW only because he wants to get an A and get money from his parents for a good report card Social Motivation Extrinsic V. Intrinsic Over justification effect: when external rewards, external pressures, extrinsic motivations ruin the pure enjoyment of an activity. Ex: I originally played tennis because I loved it and it was fun. As I got better the pressure to win, rankings, etc. ruined the enjoyment. Over time, intrinsic motivations are more effective, especially over time. Social Motivation – Management Styles Theory Y Manager Theory X Manager Believe their employees are Believe their employees are intrinsically motivated Hands off style They believe their employees love what they do and want to be at work. So these managers stay out of the way and let their employees do their thing extrinsically motivated They micromanage Set up rewards for good behaviors Set up punishments for bad behaviors Employees will not work hard unless managed to do so EMOTION Emotion and Motivation are closely intertwined Theories of Emotion James - Lange: physiological response precedes emotion. I see a spider, my heart races, therefore I feel fear. Cannon – Bard: physiological response and feeling of emotion happen simultaneously. I see a spider and at the same moment in time my heart races and I feel fear. Stanley Schachter Two Factor: physiological response and a cognitive label happen simultaneously and precede the feeling of emotion. I see a spider, my heart races and my brain labels it as fear at the same time, and then I feel the emotion of fear. (Says you must have cognitive label because different emotions have similar physiological reactions. My heart pounds when I am excited and when I am afraid, so the brain must label it). Theories of Emotion Opponent Process Theory of Emotion – the idea that often the emotion that precedes an event is the opposite of the one that comes after it. Ex: I am anxious and dreading an upcoming test. When it’s over I feel extreme relief and peace. Catharsis: positive release of negative energy. “Venting” I come home from school really angry and I write a poem and my anger and afterwards feel a lot better Culture and Emotion Emotions and facial expressions seems to be universal across cultures However, hand gestures vary from culture to culture i.e. don’t go abroad and give the a-ok sign! Emotion - STRESS Stress is a powerful and can be a dangerous emotion. Chronic stress can result in physical, mental, and emotional break down Lack of perceived control over a problem exacerbates feeling of stress Stress caused by 1) catastrophies (9/11), 2) significant life change, 3) daily hassles SRRS = Social Readjustment Rating Scale Measures stress by using life changing units Major life changes increase stress score Even positive changes (wedding, new job, baby) can cause significant stress Stress – Hans Selye General Adaptation Syndrome The body has a general adaptive response to stress 1.) Alarm reaction – heart rate zooms, sympathetic NS kicks in 2.) Resistance – body stays on high alert. Hormones released to maintain ready state. Temperature, blood pressure, and breathing remain high 3.) Exhaustion – body’s resources start to be depleted, immune system breaks down. Vulnerable Stress Chronic stress can cause or exacerbate several health conditions Heart disease Mental illness Insomnia Depression/anxiety Compromises immune system (+ corr between stress and colds) Higher blood pressure Headaches How to manage stress….? Exercise, sleep, friends/social networks, meditation, hobbies, take control of the situation Stress: Type A Versus Type B Type A – people that have a competitive, driven, impatient, high achieving, often high stress personality Type B – people who tend to be more easy going, relaxed, and experience less stress/anxiety HAPPINESS What variables correlate with happiness?? Spirituality/religious involvement Sleep Exercise Good relationships Service/investment in others Gratitude/spirit of optimism Satisfying work and leisure that engages your skills Wealth – up to a point (not having enough to meet basic needs = unhappiness, but once you have sufficient, more money does not mean more happiness Age, gender, and attractiveness do NOT correlate with happiness Denmark has the highest rates of self-reported happiness Final terms Feel good Do good Phenomenon: We are more likely to help someone when we feel good and are in a good mood and in turn when we help someone we feel good about ourselves. Relative Deprivation Theory: Our own happiness is relative to who we are comparing ourselves to. If I compare myself to people who are wealthier, more attractive, etc I feel sad. If I help people who are less fortunate than me, I am grateful for what I have and feel more content. Adaptation Level Theory: we adapt and adjust to new circumstances and return to our base level of happiness. I get a big raise at work - it makes me happy temporarily – I adjust and in a few months and complaining about my salary again. Polygraph - lie detectors Measure physiological responses that accompany emotion – changes in breathing, pulse rate, blood pressure, perspiration Assumption – when we lie, we become agitated and physically aroused Problem – savvy criminals can maintain calm while lying and beat the lie detector (20% of time lie detector says innocent when person is guilty) Problem – innocent people are nervous and anxious and they body also becomes aroused and they fail (30% of time polygraph says guilty when really innocent) Collectively polygraphs are wrong about 25% of the time. Inadmissible in a court of law.