Chapter 12 Notes: Motivation and Emotion
Theories and Concepts of Motivation: Important Definitions
● Motivation: set of factors that activate, direct, and maintain behavior, usually toward
some goal.
● Emotion: subjective feeling including arousal, cognitions, and expressions.
Theories:
● Biological Theories: Instinct, Drive-Reduction, and Arousal
○ Instinct: inborn, unlearned behaviors universal to species explain motivation
○ Drive-Reduction: Internal tensions “push” toward satisfying basic needs.
○ Arousal: motivated toward optimal level of arousal.
■ Drive-Reduction Theory: Homeostasis->balance is distrubed->Biological
need->Need gives rise to drive->Drive->Organism motivated to satisfy
drive-> Goal-directed behavior->Drive reduced->Need satisfied->Balance
is restored->Homeostasis
■ Arousal Theory: People seek an optimal level of arousal that maximizes
their performance
● Psychosocial Theories:
○ Incentive: motivation result from the “pull” of external environmental stimuli
○ Cognitive: motivation affected by attribution and expectations.
● Biopsychosocial Theories:
○ Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
○ Trying to reach self-actualization
Motivation and Behavior:Hunger and Eating
● Cannon and Washburn’s early technique for measuring internal factors in hunger
● Biological Factors: stomach, biochemistry, the brain
○ Note the size difference in these rats. The rat on the left had the ventromedial
area of its hypothalamus destroyed.
● Psychological factors: Visual cues, cultural conditioning
○ Obesity is more common in Pima Indiians living in the US, but not for those in
nearby Mexico with a traditional diet.
● Obesity: Appears to results form numerous biological and physical factors.
● Anorexia and Bulimia: are both characterized by an overwhelming fear of becoming
obses and explained by multiple biological and psychosocial factors.
○ A: skinny, fearful of eating and gaining weight, preconceived idea that they are
fat, and eats small portions
○ B: OCD about caloric intake, an urge to eat a lot then throw that amount up,
decaying enamel, eye-color or skin color has changed.
Motivation and Behavior: Achievement
● Characteristics of a high need for achievement
● Prefers moderately difficult tasks
● Prefers clear goals with competent feedback
Theories and Concepts of Motivation: Important Definitions
● Motivation: set of factors that activate, direct, and maintain behavior, usually toward
some goal.
● Emotion: subjective feeling including arousal, cognitions, and expressions.
Theories:
● Biological Theories: Instinct, Drive-Reduction, and Arousal
○ Instinct: inborn, unlearned behaviors universal to species explain motivation
○ Drive-Reduction: Internal tensions “push” toward satisfying basic needs.
○ Arousal: motivated toward optimal level of arousal.
■ Drive-Reduction Theory: Homeostasis->balance is distrubed->Biological
need->Need gives rise to drive->Drive->Organism motivated to satisfy
drive-> Goal-directed behavior->Drive reduced->Need satisfied->Balance
is restored->Homeostasis
■ Arousal Theory: People seek an optimal level of arousal that maximizes
their performance
● Psychosocial Theories:
○ Incentive: motivation result from the “pull” of external environmental stimuli
○ Cognitive: motivation affected by attribution and expectations.
● Biopsychosocial Theories:
○ Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
○ Trying to reach self-actualization
Motivation and Behavior:Hunger and Eating
● Cannon and Washburn’s early technique for measuring internal factors in hunger
● Biological Factors: stomach, biochemistry, the brain
○ Note the size difference in these rats. The rat on the left had the ventromedial
area of its hypothalamus destroyed.
● Psychological factors: Visual cues, cultural conditioning
○ Obesity is more common in Pima Indiians living in the US, but not for those in
nearby Mexico with a traditional diet.
● Obesity: Appears to results form numerous biological and physical factors.
● Anorexia and Bulimia: are both characterized by an overwhelming fear of becoming
obses and explained by multiple biological and psychosocial factors.
○ A: skinny, fearful of eating and gaining weight, preconceived idea that they are
fat, and eats small portions
○ B: OCD about caloric intake, an urge to eat a lot then throw that amount up,
decaying enamel, eye-color or skin color has changed.
Motivation and Behavior: Achievement
● Characteristics of a high need for achievement
● Prefers moderately difficult tasks
● Prefers clear goals with competent feedback
