BackChapter 8: The Major Motives – Food, Love, Sex, and Work (Learning Objectives)
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Chapter 8: The Major Motives – Food, Love, Sex, and Work
Overview
This chapter explores the primary psychological motives that drive human behavior, focusing on food, love, sex, and work. The following learning objectives outline the key areas of study and provide a framework for understanding the biological, psychological, and cultural factors influencing these motives.
Learning Objectives
3.1.A: Define motivation, and distinguish between its intrinsic and extrinsic forms.
3.1.B: Discuss the biological factors that contribute to weight, and explain what a set point is.
3.1.C: Discuss and provide examples of major environmental influences on weight.
3.1.D: Distinguish between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and discuss factors that contribute to each disorder.
3.2.A: Describe how vasopressin, oxytocin, and endorphins contribute to our understanding of the biology of love.
3.2.B: Explain how attachment theory can be applied to adult romantic relationships.
3.2.C: Summarize the research on gender and cultural differences in romantic relationships.
3.3.A: Describe early research findings on sexuality and how biology, hormones, and expectations might contribute to differences in the sexuality of women and men.
3.3.B: Discuss the biological factors associated with sexual orientation as well as the limitations of a single-explanation account for partner preference.
3.3.C: Discuss the varied motives for sex, and contrast them with motives for love.
3.3.D: Explain the ways in which culture and gender contribute to sexual expectations and behavior.
3.4.A: Describe conditions that make goal-setting successful, and distinguish between performance goals and mastery goals.
3.4.B: Describe how working conditions affect motives to achieve.
3.4.C: Discuss what research indicates makes people happy and how accurate people are at predicting their own happiness.
Key Terms
Motivation: The process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors.
Intrinsic Motivation: Engaging in behavior for its own sake and personal rewards.
Extrinsic Motivation: Engaging in behavior to earn external rewards or avoid punishment.
Set Point: The weight range in which your body is programmed to function optimally.
Anorexia Nervosa: An eating disorder characterized by weight loss, difficulty maintaining an appropriate body weight, and often a distorted body image.
Bulimia Nervosa: An eating disorder marked by binge eating followed by methods to avoid weight gain, such as vomiting.
Vasopressin, Oxytocin, Endorphins: Hormones and neurotransmitters involved in social bonding and attachment.
Attachment Theory: A psychological model describing the dynamics of long-term interpersonal relationships.
Performance Goals: Goals framed in terms of performing well in front of others, being judged favorably, and avoiding criticism.
Mastery Goals: Goals framed in terms of increasing one’s competence and skills.
Applications
Understanding these motives can help explain behaviors related to eating, relationships, sexuality, and achievement in work and life.
Recognizing the interplay of biological, psychological, and cultural factors is essential for addressing issues such as eating disorders, relationship satisfaction, and workplace motivation.
