Motivation and Emotion(p.363-367)

Motivation

• Need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

• Instinct Theory: we are motivated by our inborn automated behaviors.

• But instincts only explain why we do a small fraction of our behaviors.

Click on the fish to watch it’s instinctual behavior.

Drive Reduction Theory

• Our behavior is motivated by BIOLOGICAL NEEDS.

• Wants to maintain homeostasis.

• When we are not, we have a need that creates a drive.

• Primary versus Secondary drives

• Homeostasis: Tendency to maintain a constant internal state

Example: Brrrr it’s cold…where is my coat? • Incentive: +/-

environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

Arousal Theory

• We are motivated to seek an optimum level of arousal.

• Yerkes-Dodson Law

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Abraham Maslow said we are motivated by needs, and all needs are not created equal.

• We are driven to satisfy the lower level needs first.

Quiz question #1

• Which theory would be most helpful for explaining why people are motivated to watch horror movies?

a. Instinct theoryb. Drive-reduction theoryc. Incentive theoryd. Arousal theory

Quiz question 2

• According to Maslow, our need for _____ must be met before we are prompted to satisfy our need for _____.

a. food; loveb. Self-esteem; adequate clothingc. Self-actualization; economic securityd. Political freedom; adequate housing

Motivation of HUNGER(p.368-373)

Hunger

Hunger is both physiological and psychological.

Body Chemistry

• Glucose• The hormone insulin

converts glucose to fat.

• When glucose levels drop- hunger increases.

Biological Basis of Hunger

• Hunger does NOT come from our stomach.

It comes from our…• BrainWhat part of the

brain?• The Hypothalamus

HypothalamusLateral Hypothalamus• When stimulated it

makes you hungry.• When lesioned

(destroyed) you will never be hungry again.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

• When stimulated you feel full.

• When lesioned you will never feel full again.

Set Point Theory

• The hypothalamus acts like a thermostat.

• Wants to maintain a stable weight.

• Activate the lateral when you diet and activate the ventromedial when you start to gain weight.

• Leptin theory

Metabolic Rate

• The body’s base rate of energy expenditure

Example: Holocaust victims stabilized their bodies at ¾ of their normal weight by reducing their energy expenditure.

Taste PreferencesFood taste better and we chew less when we are

hungry (beginning of a meal).

Food tastes worse and we chew more when we are not hungry (at the end of the meal).

Its weird, the better the food tastes, the less time we leave it in our mouths.

Culture and Hunger

Criadillas- bull testicles.

Mice Wine

Dog

Fried Frog Legs

Psychological Aspects of Hunger

• Internals versus Externals

• The Garcia Effect

Eating Disorders

Bulimia Nervosa• Characterized by

binging (eating large amounts of food) and purging (getting rid of the food).

Anorexia Nervosa• Starve themselves to below 85% of their

normal body weight.• See themselves as fat.• Vast majority are woman.

Click on the woman to watch a case study of an anorexic.

Body Image

Are these disorders cultural?

Obesity

• Severely overweight to the point where it causes health issues.

• Mostly eating habits but some people are predisposed towards obesity.

• Obesity Epidemic in America

Click on the pictures to see some case studies on obesity.

Quiz question

• When an organism’s weight falls below its set point, the organism is likely to experience a(n) ________ in hunger and a(n) ________ in its metabolic rate.

a. Increase; increaseb. Decrease; decreasec. Increase; decreased. Decrease; increase