Download Motivation and Emotion

Motivation and Emotion Notes
Motivation
1. Basic Idea
(a) creating a theory which explains the force behind behavior
2. Instinct Theories
(a) behaviors are un-learned instinctual reactions to environmental stimuli
(b) absence of learning
3. Evolutionary Theory
(a) behaviors are learned responses to changes in the environment; adaptive, serving
evolutionary motives
(b) emphasis on learning
4. Incentive Theory
(a) external incentives (extrinsic) explain behaviors which have no direct payoff
(b) internal incentives (intrinsic) are stronger motivators and create self-reinforcing behaviors
(c) basically operant conditioning
5. Drive Theories
(a) drives (tension) are created by biological or psychological imbalances which motivate a
behavior designed to reduce the tension
i. tension reduction = negative reinforcement
ii. drive to restore homeostasis
6. Humanistic Theories
(a) Maslow – Hierarchy of Needs
i. self-actualizing principle
(b) Deci and Ryan – Self-Determination theory
i. autonomy, competence, and relatedness
7. Arousal Theory
(a) Motivation to achieve “optimal” level of arousal, rather than tension reduction
(b) explains some personality differences
i. introversion vs. extraversion
ii. sensation-seeking
iii. autism and sensory hypersensitivity
Emotion
1. Basic Idea
(a) The subjective experience of physiological arousal
(b) Elements of Emotions
i. physiological arousal
ii. subjective experience (cognitive)
iii. behavioral expression
iv. social norms and cognitions
(c) Qualities of Emotional Experience
i. arousal – intensity
ii. valence – positive or negative emotions
iii. social activation – is the emotion personal, or part of a social interaction?
(d) Purpose of Emotions
i. goals
ii. motivators
iii. information
2. Physiology of Emotions
(a) amygdala and limbic involvement
i. amygdala: emotional impulse
ii. basal ganglia: movement impulse
iii. nucleus accumbens: pleasure
(b) Pre-frontal Cortex
i. cognitive and social evaluation
ii. emotional control and behavioral regulation
iii. effortful control
(c) Primary Motor Cortex
i. behavioral response
3. Social Components of Emotions
(a) universal emotions
i. happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, anger, disgust
ii. shared emotional experiences with universal behavioral expressions
(b) complex emotions
i. emotions with culturally-determined rules about expression
ii. display rules – who can express what, and where, and how
4. Theories of Emotional Labeling
(a) James-Lange
i. physiology determines subjective experience
ii. facial feedback hypothesis
(b) Cannon-Bard
i. context matters, otherwise a fever could be mistaken for fear, but rarely is
ii. embarrassment – physiological response doesn’t occur until after social awareness
(c) Gregorio Maranon
i. epinephrine study – context evaluation, people can compartmentalize physical
experiences
(d) Schachter/Singer
i. physiological arousal is the “alert” to pay attention to context and interpret which
emotional response is appropriate
ii. arousal is neutral. Context flavors.
(e) Cognitive Appraisal
i. emotions are purely cognitive events, determined by what we believe about the
situations we are in
Homework Questions for MOTIVATION AND EMOTION
1. Explain the decision to go to college and attend classes in terms of instinct, evolutionary, incentive,
and drive theories.
2. What kinds of behaviors are explained by humanistic theories of motivation?
3. How do cultural differences in emotional expression affect our day-to-day lives in a multicultural
society?
4. Which theory of emotions makes the most sense? Why?
5. What is avoidance conditioning, and how does it relate to tension reduction and negative
reinforcement?