What Gets Us Moving? Motivation

Motivation Motivation: a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

Motivational Concepts Instinct Theory (Evolutionary Theory) Drive-Reduction Theory Arousal Theory Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Motivational Concepts Instinct/Evolutionary Influenced by Darwin Instinct: complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned Ex. Infants reflexes Issues: Theory fails to explain human motives However, still explains underlying assumption that genes predispose species typical behavior

Motivational Concepts Drive Reduction Theory: Replaced Instinct Theory Idea that physiological needs creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need As physical need increases, psychological drive also increases Incentives: positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior When there is a need and incentive we feel strongly driven Aim for each person is homeostasis: tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state

Motivational Concepts Optimal Arousal Theory We seek optimum levels of excitement: Without such stimulation, we get bored. Examples: Climbing a mountain Taking AP Psychology Maintaining a high GPA Bringing in thousands of cans in order to beat Mrs. Faulkner’s class!

Motivational Concepts Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s pyramid of human needs. Beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before moving up the pyramid to higher levels (You will draw/label the pyramid later)

Maslow’s Hierarchy Turn to page 331- draw Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and level each section. Next, reflect on your activities over the past month. Enter three significant behaviors that you think demonstrate the operation of a need at each level of Maslow’s hierarchy. Please indicate the degree to which you are satisfied that your need has been met at each level. Use a scale of 1 (totally unsatisfied) to 6 (totally satisfied).

Hunger & Motivation

David Mandel, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, recalled how a starving “father and son would fight over a piece of bread. Like dogs.” One father, whose 20 year old son stole his bread from under his pillow while he slept, went into a deep depression, asking over and over how his son could do such a thing. The next day the father died. “Hunger does something to you that’s hard to describe.”

Hunger and Motivation WWII concentration camps demonstrated the supremacy of physiological needs Ancel Keys experiment on semistarvation 36 Male Volunteers 6 months food level cut in half Beginning of energy conservation Weight dropped rapidly and stabilized @ 25% below initial weight Activated motives hijack out consciousness

Body Chemistry and the Brain People automatically regulate their caloric intake to prevent energy deficits Glucose: form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissue. When it is low, we feel hungry

Body Chemistry and the Brain Hypothalamus: Hunger controls Lateral hypothalamus (located on the sides): brings on hunger Tells the body to release orexin which is a hunger triggering hormone Ventromedial hypothalamus: depresses hunger and is located in the lower-mid section of the hypothalamus

Body Chemistry and the Brain Set point: When a body falls below individual’s “weight thermostat”, an increase in hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight

Psychology of Hunger Physical hunger is often paired with psychological hunger Taste preferences Feeling depressed you eat food that boosts the level of serotonin Carbs Preferences for salty and sweet are typically universal Culture affects taste (neophobia: the dislike of things unfamiliar)

Eating Disorders Anorexia: eating disorder in which a person diets and becomes significantly underweight, yet, still feeling fat, continue to starve themselves .6% of the population (18.2 million) 75% are female 50% display binge-purge-depression cycle

Eating Disorders Bulimia nervosa: eating disorder characterized by episodes of over eating, usually of high-calorie foods, followed by vomiting, laxative use, fasting, or excessive exercise

Eating Disorders Binge-eating disorder: significant binge- eating episodes followed by distress, disgust, or guilt, but without purging, fasting, or excessive exercise that marks bulimia 2.8% of the population at some time in their lives meet the criteria for this

Eating Disorders Three family environmental aspects Mothers of girls with eating disorders tend to focus on their own weight and on their daughters weight and appearance Families of bulimia patients have a higher-than-usual incidence of childhood obesity and negative self-evaluation Families of anorexia patients tend to be competitive, high-achieving, and protective Does our society pressure girls to be thin?

Obesity and Weight Control 35.7% of American adults are obese 17% of American children are obese Kentucky is ranked 7th in the leading obese states. Is fighting fat a social responsibility? A government responsibility?

Mini-FRQ action Bob is on his way home from work. He has not eaten all day, but has expended a lot of effort on the line at Toyota. Apply the following terms to Bob’s scenario: Glucose Set Point Hierarchy of needs

Sexual Motivation

Sexual Motivation What stages mark the human sexual response cycle? Masters and Johnson describe four stages in the human sexual response cycle: Excitement Plateau Orgasm (males and females respond similarly both emotionally and neurologically) Resolution

Sexual Motivation During the resolution stage males experience the refractory period in which renewed arousal and orgasm are impossible Sexual disorders can be successfully treated, often by behaviorally oriented therapy or drug therapy

Sexual Motivation Hormones: Females= estrogen Males= testosterone However, women’s sexuality is more responsive to testosterone level than estrogen levels Research shows that women fantasize about sex or wear more sexually attractive clothing around ovulation

Sexual Motivation Short-term hormonal changes have little effect on desire Large shifts that occur due to the aging process have a much greater effect As sex hormones decline with age, frequency of sexual fantasies reduce and the desire for intercourse also declines

Sexual Motivation Psychology of Sex Studies confirm that men become aroused when examining erotic material However, studies also report that women exhibit nearly as much arousal as men do to same material Sexually explicit material can have adverse effect Imagined Stimuli 95% of both males and females say they have had sexual fantasies

WHY? Sexual Motivation Adolescent Sexuality 1900- 3% of American women had experienced premature sex by age 18 1991- 54% 2005- 47% of teens had experienced premature sex Teen Pregnancy American teens have a lower rate of contraceptive use and thus higher rate of pregnancy. WHY?

Sexual Motivation Predictors of sexual restraint High intelligence Ignorance Minimal communication about birth control Guilt related to sexual activity Alcohol use Mass media Predictors of sexual restraint High intelligence Religious engagement Father presence Participation in service learning programs

Sexual Motivation Sexual Orientation and Research: 2.5% of U.S. population is gay or lesbian Sexual orientation is neither willfully chosen nor willfully changed. Much like handedness: Most people are one way, some the other. A very few are truly ambidextrous.

Gay men & straight women have brain hemispheres of similar size Some degree of homosexuality seems to be a natural part of the animal world. LeVay study Found that one hypothalamic cell cluster is larger in straight men than in women & gay men. Hypothalamus not sexual orientation center but important in conducting neural pathways for sexual behavior. Gay men & straight women have brain hemispheres of similar size Lesbian women & straight men have a larger right hemisphere

Genes & Sexual Orientation No statistical evidence that environmental influences determine sexual orientation Homosexuality appears to run in families Abnormal prenatal hormone conditions between the 2nd & 5th month of development have been a topic of research. A lesbian’s cochlea and hearing systems develop in a different way compared to heterosexual males & females Heterosexual females & gay men have less fingertip ridges on their right hand. Final word- sexual orientation is biological and not a lifestyle choice!

Need to Belong Belong: to feel connected and identified with others Survival value to our ancestors Could explain why humans live in groups in every society Societies control behavior with threat of ostracism When socially excluded people may engage in self-defeating behaviors

Motivation to Work Why do we work? Reasons vary person to person Many will declare happiness or money as primary reasons for working

Motivation to Work Personal psychologist work with organizations to devise selection methods of new employees, recruit, and evaluate applicants