Lecture 14: Motivation & Emotion – Study Notes

Motivation & Emotion

Introduction

This study guide summarizes key concepts from Lecture 14 of PSYC 1010, focusing on the psychological and physiological processes underlying motivation and emotion. Topics include hunger and eating, sexual motivation, social and achievement motivation, and theories of emotion.

Motivation

Definition and Key Concepts

• Motivation: The physiological and psychological processes that initiate and direct behaviors toward specific goals.

• Homeostasis: The body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions (e.g., temperature, energy balance).

• Drives: Biological urges (e.g., hunger, thirst) and psychological motives that push behavior; often influenced by incentives (external rewards).

• Allostasis: Motivation shaped by current needs and anticipation of future demands, especially under stress.

Hunger & Eating

Physiological Regulation of Hunger

• Hypothalamus: Brain region critical for hunger regulation.

  • Lateral hypothalamus: Triggers eating ('on' switch).

  • Ventromedial hypothalamus: Suppresses eating ('off' switch).

  • Paraventricular nucleus: Modulates signals from lateral and ventromedial areas.

• Preference for Carbohydrates and Fats: Driven by evolutionary and neurochemical factors.

• Satiation and Cholecystokinin (CCK): CCK is a hormone that signals fullness and reduces food intake.

• Unit Bias: Tendency to perceive a single unit or portion as the appropriate amount to consume, influenced by social factors (facilitation, impression management, modeling).

Eating Disorders

• Anorexia Nervosa:

  • Pursuit of thinness through starvation; can be fatal.

  • Criteria: Weight < 85% of normal for age/height, fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, amenorrhea.

• Bulimia Nervosa:

  • Binge eating followed by purging (at least twice a week for 3 months).

  • Criteria: Eating large amounts in a short time, lack of control over eating (impulsivity).

  • Most (~70%) recover with treatment.

Sexual Motivation

Sexual Influences

• Libido: Motivation for sexual activity and pleasure.

• Evolutionary Influences:

  • Intrasexual selection: Competition within a sex for mates.

  • Intersexual selection: Preferences for desirable traits in partners.

  • Socioeconomic status (SES) and willingness to enter relationships.

• Psychological Influences: Attitudes, beliefs, and experiences shape sexual motivation.

• Physiological Influences:

  • Sexual response cycle: Sequence of physiological changes during sexual activity.

  • Neural pathway: Hypothalamus → pituitary gland → oxytocin release.

Sexual Orientation & Transgender Individuals

• Sexual Orientation: Consistent preference for sexual relations with members of the opposite sex, same sex, or either sex.

• Is same-sex behavior 'unnatural'?

  • Possible influences: parental/friend relationships, hypothalamic structure (e.g., smaller INAH3), prenatal testosterone levels.

  • Genetic factors also play a role.

• Transgender: Individuals whose gender identity does not match their biological sex.

Social & Achievement Motivation

The Need to Belong

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Suggests some needs (e.g., physiological, safety) are more fundamental than others (e.g., belonging, esteem).

• Affiliation Motivation: The need to maintain relationships involving warmth, affection, appreciation, and mutual concern for well-being.

• Effects on mental and physical health: Social connections reduce loneliness and risk of heart attacks.

Achievement Motivation

• Drive to Achieve: Motivation to perform at high levels and accomplish significant goals.

  • Approach goals: Pursuit of enjoyable/pleasant incentives.

  • Avoidance goals: Efforts to avoid unpleasant outcomes.

• Self-Determination Theory:

  • Universal needs: Relatedness, autonomy, competence.

  • Self-efficacy: Confidence in one's ability to plan and execute actions to solve problems.

• Sources of Motivation:

  • Extrinsic: Driven by external rewards (performance).

  • Intrinsic: Driven by internal satisfaction (mastery).

  • Praise and cheating: Overemphasis on praise for intelligence can promote cheating (Zhao et al., 2017).

Emotion

Physiological Response

• Emotion: A behavior with (a) a subjective experience, (b) a pattern of neural activity/physical arousal, and (c) an observable expression.

• Amygdala & Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): Key brain structures in emotional processing and physiological arousal.

• Emotional Regulation: Involves frontal cortex (FC) in managing emotional responses.

Theories of Emotion

• James-Lange Theory: Physiological arousal precedes emotional experience. $\text{Stimulus} \rightarrow \text{Physiological Response} \rightarrow \text{Emotion}$

• Cannon-Bard Theory: Emotional experience and physiological response occur simultaneously. $\text{Stimulus} \rightarrow \text{Physiological Response} + \text{Emotion}$

• Facial Feedback Hypothesis: Facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

• Two-Factor Theory (Schachter-Singer): Emotion arises from physiological arousal and cognitive interpretation. $\text{Emotion} = \text{Arousal} + \text{Cognitive Label}$

  • Experimental groups: Informed, ignorant, misinformed, control.

Tables

Comparison of Eating Disorders

Disorder	Key Features	Criteria
Anorexia Nervosa	Pursuit of thinness, starvation	Weight < 85% normal, fear of weight gain, distorted body image, amenorrhea
Bulimia Nervosa	Binge and purge cycles	Binge eating, lack of control, purging, most recover

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Level	Description
Physiological	Basic survival needs (food, water)
Safety	Security, stability
Belonging	Relationships, love
Esteem	Achievement, respect
Self-actualization	Personal growth, fulfillment

References

• Zhao, L., Heyman, G., Chen, L., & Lee, K. (2017). Praising young children for being smart promotes cheating. Psychological Science, 28(12), 1868–1870.

Additional info: Some diagrams and images referenced in the slides (e.g., hypothalamus anatomy, sexual response cycle, Maslow's pyramid) are described in text for clarity.