Motivation and Emotion
P 407 – 413 not examinable
Physiological components of hunger
Hormones
Insulin and glucagon (secreted by pancreas) control levels of fats, proteins and carbs in body. Insulin
is released in great amounts after eating begins more hunger.
Leptin (secreted by fat cells): decreases appetite and increases energy expenditure
Homeostatic Mechanisms
Eating not necessarily linked to immediate energy needs
Homeostatic mechanisms prevent us from running low on energy
Social + psychological components of hunger
Social cues
Classical conditioning: food cues can trigger eating even when not hungry. Body becomes
conditioned to respond with hunger reflex at certain times of day.
Operational conditioning: Eating is positively reinforced by the good taste of food and negatively
reinforced by hunger production.
Cultural norms influence when, how and what we eat. Eg. Rounded hips considered a sign of health
and fertility for SA women
Gender: eg. Women are more likely to eat for emotional reasons
Attitudes, habits and beliefs: eg. Cleaning your plate; snacking while watching TV
Obesity
A condition in which the body weight of a person is 20% over the ideal body weight for that person’s
height.
Genetic factors:
- Heredity: basal metabolic rate and tendency to store energy as either fat or lean tissue;
several sets of genes influence the likelihood of becoming obese; genetics account for about
40-70 percent of variation in BMI scores.
- Problems with leptin production can lead to overeating.
, Overeating
- Food is more readily available
- Cultural emphasis on getting more value for money (supersizes)
- Foods more varied and enticing
- Increase in income eating more
- Tech advances that decrease the need for physical activity
SA undergoing a “nutrition transition”
Transitioning to more Westernised eating pattern and diet.
Increased urbanisation plays a role. Eg. Eating out, eating while watching TV, take-outs.
Weight loss often associated with HIV / AIDS. Fear of losing weight.
Cultural belief that being overweight is a sign of affluence and prosperity.
SA has highest rates of overweight and obesity in SSA.
Motivation
A process that influences the direction, persistence, and vigour of goal-directed behaviours. Process
by which activities are started, directed and continued so that physical or physiological needs / wants
are met.
Early approaches to understanding motivation
No one approach can be used in isolation to explain motivation.
1. Psychodynamic View
Unconscious motives affect how we behave
Freud emphasized sexual and aggressive motives
Modern theorists emphasise motives for self-esteem and social belonging
Motivating factors sometimes unknown to individual
2. Extrinsic + Intrinsic Motivations
Extrinsic: leads to outcome separate from person. External rewards.
Intrinsic: the act itself is rewarding in some internal manner.
3. Instincts + the evolutionary approach
Instincts: an inherited characteristic, common to all members of a species. Automatically produces
a particular response when exposed to a particular stimulus.
Instincts motivate much of our behaviour
The instinct approach assumes people are governed by instincts similar to those of animals.
P 407 – 413 not examinable
Physiological components of hunger
Hormones
Insulin and glucagon (secreted by pancreas) control levels of fats, proteins and carbs in body. Insulin
is released in great amounts after eating begins more hunger.
Leptin (secreted by fat cells): decreases appetite and increases energy expenditure
Homeostatic Mechanisms
Eating not necessarily linked to immediate energy needs
Homeostatic mechanisms prevent us from running low on energy
Social + psychological components of hunger
Social cues
Classical conditioning: food cues can trigger eating even when not hungry. Body becomes
conditioned to respond with hunger reflex at certain times of day.
Operational conditioning: Eating is positively reinforced by the good taste of food and negatively
reinforced by hunger production.
Cultural norms influence when, how and what we eat. Eg. Rounded hips considered a sign of health
and fertility for SA women
Gender: eg. Women are more likely to eat for emotional reasons
Attitudes, habits and beliefs: eg. Cleaning your plate; snacking while watching TV
Obesity
A condition in which the body weight of a person is 20% over the ideal body weight for that person’s
height.
Genetic factors:
- Heredity: basal metabolic rate and tendency to store energy as either fat or lean tissue;
several sets of genes influence the likelihood of becoming obese; genetics account for about
40-70 percent of variation in BMI scores.
- Problems with leptin production can lead to overeating.
, Overeating
- Food is more readily available
- Cultural emphasis on getting more value for money (supersizes)
- Foods more varied and enticing
- Increase in income eating more
- Tech advances that decrease the need for physical activity
SA undergoing a “nutrition transition”
Transitioning to more Westernised eating pattern and diet.
Increased urbanisation plays a role. Eg. Eating out, eating while watching TV, take-outs.
Weight loss often associated with HIV / AIDS. Fear of losing weight.
Cultural belief that being overweight is a sign of affluence and prosperity.
SA has highest rates of overweight and obesity in SSA.
Motivation
A process that influences the direction, persistence, and vigour of goal-directed behaviours. Process
by which activities are started, directed and continued so that physical or physiological needs / wants
are met.
Early approaches to understanding motivation
No one approach can be used in isolation to explain motivation.
1. Psychodynamic View
Unconscious motives affect how we behave
Freud emphasized sexual and aggressive motives
Modern theorists emphasise motives for self-esteem and social belonging
Motivating factors sometimes unknown to individual
2. Extrinsic + Intrinsic Motivations
Extrinsic: leads to outcome separate from person. External rewards.
Intrinsic: the act itself is rewarding in some internal manner.
3. Instincts + the evolutionary approach
Instincts: an inherited characteristic, common to all members of a species. Automatically produces
a particular response when exposed to a particular stimulus.
Instincts motivate much of our behaviour
The instinct approach assumes people are governed by instincts similar to those of animals.
