Emotion and Motivation
Why study motivation, stress and emotion?
The study of motivation helps us understand not only why some people are more driven to achieve
than others, but also why we experience certain drives, such as hunger. How do we deal with the
stresses that come with these drives or that appear when our basic drives are not met? Sexual
behaviour is another motivated activity that many struggle to understand. Why are there different
sexual orientations, for example? Emotions are a part of everything we do, affecting our
relationships with others and our own health as well as influencing important decisions. In this
chapter, we will explore the motives behind our actions, and the origins and influences of emotions.
Objectives:
Cover theoretical frameworks for understanding motivation
o Early approaches to understanding motivation
• Psychodynamic view
• Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
• Instincts and the evolutionary approach
• Needs and drives: Drive reduction theory
o Approaches based on psychological needs
o Arousal and incentive approaches
o Humanistic approaches
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• Self-determination theory
1. Define motivation, and discuss the key elements of the early instinct and drive- reduction
approaches to motivation.
2. Explain the characteristics of the three types of needs.
3. Identify and explain the key elements of the arousal and incentive approaches to motivation.
4. Compare and contrast Maslow’s humanistic approach and the self-determination theory.
5. Define stress and stressors, and describe two methods for coping with stress.
6. Identify the physical and social factors that influence hunger.
7. Identify factors that contribute to obesity.
8. Explain the motivation for sexual behaviour.
,Understanding Motivation
Motivation
o A process that influences the direction, persistence, and vigour of goal-directed
behaviour
o A process by which activities are started, directed, and continued so that physical or
psychological needs/wants are met
What moves people to do wat they do?
• E.g., Eat: Because I’m hungry
• E.g., Eat: Because I’m stressed
• E.g., Eat: Because it’s morning
Early Approaches to Understanding Motivation
Psychodynamic view
o Unconscious motives affect how we behave
o Freud emphasized sexual and aggressive motives
o Many modern theorists emphasize motives for self-esteem and social
belonging
o People are not always aware of the factors motivating them
Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
1. Extrinsic motivation: Person performs an action because it leads to an
outcome that is separate from the person (i.e., external reward)
• E.g., sticker, bonus, tip, prize, approval from others
3. Intrinsic motivation: Person performs an action because the act itself is
rewarding in some internal manner
• E.g., do something because you enjoy it, makes you feel good about yourself
Early Approaches to Understanding Motivation
Instincts and the evolutionary approach
, • Instincts motivate much of our behaviour
• Instinct: An inherited characteristic, common to all members of a species, that
automatically produces a particular response when the organism is exposed to a particular
stimulus
• E.g., Human instinct to reproduce is responsible for mating behaviour
• E.g., Instinct for territorial protection responsible for aggressive behaviour
• Instinct approach assumes that people are governed by instincts similar to those of
animals
Needs and drives: Drive reduction theory
Need: Requirement for some material that is essential for survival
• E.g., Food, water
• Need leads to psychological tension and physical arousal
• Must act to reduce the tension
• So it drives us to act
• All drives are unpleasant but satisfaction of them results in reduction and
subsequent pleasure
Theory proposes this connection between internal physiological state and outward behaviour
• Primary drive: Survival needs of the body (e.g., hunger, thirst)
• Secondary/acquired drive: Learned through experience or conditioning
(e.g., need for social approval, former smoker needing to put something in
their mouth)
o Homeostasis: State of internal physiological equilibrium that the body strives to
maintain
Approaches Based on Psychological Needs
McClelland’s theory of motivation highlights the 3 psychological needs not typically
considered by other theories:
1. Affiliation – Need for friendly social interactions and relationships with others
• E.g., Seek to be liked by others and held in high regard
2. Power – Need for having control over other people
• E.g., Want to make an impact on others and have influence over them
3. Achievement – Strong desire to succeed in attaining goals
Why study motivation, stress and emotion?
The study of motivation helps us understand not only why some people are more driven to achieve
than others, but also why we experience certain drives, such as hunger. How do we deal with the
stresses that come with these drives or that appear when our basic drives are not met? Sexual
behaviour is another motivated activity that many struggle to understand. Why are there different
sexual orientations, for example? Emotions are a part of everything we do, affecting our
relationships with others and our own health as well as influencing important decisions. In this
chapter, we will explore the motives behind our actions, and the origins and influences of emotions.
Objectives:
Cover theoretical frameworks for understanding motivation
o Early approaches to understanding motivation
• Psychodynamic view
• Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
• Instincts and the evolutionary approach
• Needs and drives: Drive reduction theory
o Approaches based on psychological needs
o Arousal and incentive approaches
o Humanistic approaches
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• Self-determination theory
1. Define motivation, and discuss the key elements of the early instinct and drive- reduction
approaches to motivation.
2. Explain the characteristics of the three types of needs.
3. Identify and explain the key elements of the arousal and incentive approaches to motivation.
4. Compare and contrast Maslow’s humanistic approach and the self-determination theory.
5. Define stress and stressors, and describe two methods for coping with stress.
6. Identify the physical and social factors that influence hunger.
7. Identify factors that contribute to obesity.
8. Explain the motivation for sexual behaviour.
,Understanding Motivation
Motivation
o A process that influences the direction, persistence, and vigour of goal-directed
behaviour
o A process by which activities are started, directed, and continued so that physical or
psychological needs/wants are met
What moves people to do wat they do?
• E.g., Eat: Because I’m hungry
• E.g., Eat: Because I’m stressed
• E.g., Eat: Because it’s morning
Early Approaches to Understanding Motivation
Psychodynamic view
o Unconscious motives affect how we behave
o Freud emphasized sexual and aggressive motives
o Many modern theorists emphasize motives for self-esteem and social
belonging
o People are not always aware of the factors motivating them
Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
1. Extrinsic motivation: Person performs an action because it leads to an
outcome that is separate from the person (i.e., external reward)
• E.g., sticker, bonus, tip, prize, approval from others
3. Intrinsic motivation: Person performs an action because the act itself is
rewarding in some internal manner
• E.g., do something because you enjoy it, makes you feel good about yourself
Early Approaches to Understanding Motivation
Instincts and the evolutionary approach
, • Instincts motivate much of our behaviour
• Instinct: An inherited characteristic, common to all members of a species, that
automatically produces a particular response when the organism is exposed to a particular
stimulus
• E.g., Human instinct to reproduce is responsible for mating behaviour
• E.g., Instinct for territorial protection responsible for aggressive behaviour
• Instinct approach assumes that people are governed by instincts similar to those of
animals
Needs and drives: Drive reduction theory
Need: Requirement for some material that is essential for survival
• E.g., Food, water
• Need leads to psychological tension and physical arousal
• Must act to reduce the tension
• So it drives us to act
• All drives are unpleasant but satisfaction of them results in reduction and
subsequent pleasure
Theory proposes this connection between internal physiological state and outward behaviour
• Primary drive: Survival needs of the body (e.g., hunger, thirst)
• Secondary/acquired drive: Learned through experience or conditioning
(e.g., need for social approval, former smoker needing to put something in
their mouth)
o Homeostasis: State of internal physiological equilibrium that the body strives to
maintain
Approaches Based on Psychological Needs
McClelland’s theory of motivation highlights the 3 psychological needs not typically
considered by other theories:
1. Affiliation – Need for friendly social interactions and relationships with others
• E.g., Seek to be liked by others and held in high regard
2. Power – Need for having control over other people
• E.g., Want to make an impact on others and have influence over them
3. Achievement – Strong desire to succeed in attaining goals
