Motivation and Emotion Psychology 3906

SSSM approach Motivation energizes behaviouir Motivation energizes behaviouir Emotions are a combination of arousal, behaviour and experience Emotions are a combination of arousal, behaviour and experience Should they be separate? Should they be separate? Emotion can be thought of as the behavioural response to our goals being advanced or hindered Emotion can be thought of as the behavioural response to our goals being advanced or hindered Emotion can guide behaviour Emotion can guide behaviour

Instinct You already know I don’t like this word You already know I don’t like this word Nominal Fallacy Nominal Fallacy Everything needs experience Everything needs experience How many instincts are there? How many instincts are there? Not as big a criticismNot as big a criticism

Motives Are some biological and some social? Are some biological and some social? Some may think so, the SSSM types Some may think so, the SSSM types Jealousy Jealousy Shame Shame Disgust Disgust Hmmmm let’s look at disgust Hmmmm let’s look at disgust

Disgust Universal Universal Function, get nasty stuff out of your mouth Function, get nasty stuff out of your mouth However, through learning we find different things disgusting However, through learning we find different things disgusting Makes sense, a big variety in what is actually bad for you, depending on your ecology Makes sense, a big variety in what is actually bad for you, depending on your ecology

Facial expressions Fear, anger happiness, disgust, surprise are the same everywhere Fear, anger happiness, disgust, surprise are the same everywhere There is probably an evolutionary basis to this, indeed, chimps make expressions that are universal There is probably an evolutionary basis to this, indeed, chimps make expressions that are universal

Facial expressions and emotion Oddly enough, our emotions can also feed off the expressions we are making (Duclas et al, 1989) Oddly enough, our emotions can also feed off the expressions we are making (Duclas et al, 1989) Forced people to ‘smile’ Forced people to ‘smile’ Felt happier Felt happier Ekman’s work with actors Ekman’s work with actors

Experiencing emotion Emotions seem to have a few dimensions to them Emotions seem to have a few dimensions to them Pleasant vs. unpleasantPleasant vs. unpleasant Arousal vs. sleepyArousal vs. sleepy Long vs. shortLong vs. short Izzard (1977) said there are 10 emotions Izzard (1977) said there are 10 emotions Joy, excitement, surprise, sadness, guilt, anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shameJoy, excitement, surprise, sadness, guilt, anger, disgust, contempt, fear, shame Said that other emotions are just combinationsSaid that other emotions are just combinations

Fear Pretty adaptive, fight or flight Pretty adaptive, fight or flight Learn to fear objects etc Learn to fear objects etc Observation tooObservation too Nobody fears houses… Nobody fears houses… Amygdala may be key Amygdala may be key Genetic effects too Genetic effects too

Anger Much easier to detect than happiness Much easier to detect than happiness Makes a bunch of sense, heck it means you are in danger Makes a bunch of sense, heck it means you are in danger Your fight or flight response is going big time Your fight or flight response is going big time Calm down! Calm down! Vent not through anger, but through exercise etc Vent not through anger, but through exercise etc

Can’t we all just be happy NO NO Not very adaptive Not very adaptive Small things should not make us happy forever Small things should not make us happy forever Neutral makes sense Neutral makes sense

Social emotions Co operation Co operation We are social animals We are social animals You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours Guilt Guilt Shame Shame Etc Etc

Homicide Violent conflict resolution Violent conflict resolution Good data Good data Martin Daly and Margo Wilson Martin Daly and Margo Wilson Men do the killing (no surprise there) Men do the killing (no surprise there) Overwhelmingly the victims are male Overwhelmingly the victims are male Most homicides are for trivial reasons Most homicides are for trivial reasons Sexual selection, competition Sexual selection, competition

Conclusion Evolutionary explanations help us understand emotions and motive Evolutionary explanations help us understand emotions and motive Also help us understand they are intertwined Also help us understand they are intertwined Lots of learning too Lots of learning too Don’t justify something with evolution Don’t justify something with evolution