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Motivation

Motivation. “It’s the only way I can get myself out of bed in the morning". Source: New Yorker Magazine. What is motivation?. Motivation – a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. Attempts to answer the question: “Why do humans do what they do?”.

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Motivation

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  1. Motivation

  2. “It’s the only way I can get myself out of bed in the morning" Source: New Yorker Magazine

  3. What is motivation? • Motivation – a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. • Attempts to answer the question: “Why do humans do what they do?”

  4. Historic Explanations of Motivation • Instinct – A complex, unlearned behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species. • Ex. Bears hibernate in winter. • Ex. Migration patterns of whales.

  5. Historic Explanations of Motivation • Drives – states of tension that result from an internal imbalance • Drive-reduction theory – idea that a physiological need creates a drive that motivates and organism to satisfy the need • Need for food  Hunger  Eating

  6. Historic Explanations of Motivation • Incentives – positive or negative stimuli that either entice or repel us • The presence of both a need AND an incentive cause us to be strongly driven.

  7. Biological Explanations of Motivation • Arousal – brain’s level of alertness • Yerkes-Dodson Law: theory that a degree of psychological arousal helps performance but only up to a certain point. • Too much or too little arousal can decrease performance.

  8. Biological Explanations of Motivation • Homeostasis – tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state • Your body needs to maintain an average temperature of 98.6 degrees. • Is homeostasis the same as drive-reduction? • No; D-R eliminates deficits only; Homeostasis eliminates both deficits and surpluses.

  9. Optimum Arousal Human motivation aims to seek optimum levels of arousal, not to eliminate it. Young monkeys and children are known to explore the environment in the absence of a need-based drive. Harlow Primate Laboratory, University of Wisconsin Randy Faris/ Corbis

  10. Cognitive Explanations of Motivation • Extrinsic motivation: desire to perform a behavior because of promised rewards or threats of punishment. • You study hard to get all A’s because your mom gives you money. • You study hard to get all A’s so that you are not grounded every weekend.

  11. Cognitive Explanations of Motivation • Intrinsic motivation: desire to perform a task for its own sake and to be effective • You become a teacher because you feel that you can change lives. • You practice your guitar daily because you like to entertain your friends and family.

  12. Clinical Explanations of Motivation • Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” • Humans are innately motivated to achieve “self actualization” – the need to live up to one’s full potential.

  13. Clinical Explanations of Motivation • Achievement motivation – a desire for: • Significant accomplishment • Mastery of ideas, things or people • Attaining a high standard

  14. The Physiology of Hunger • Hunger – component of homeostatic system designed to maintain normal body weight and nutrient supply • Stomach contracts when hunger occurs (tummy growl); however this is not the only physical sign of hunger

  15. The Physiology of Hunger • Body Chemistry and the Brain • Glucose – form of sugar found in blood; major source of energy • When levels of “blood sugar” (glucose) are low, we feel hungry.

  16. The Physiology of Hunger • Hypothalamus – part of the brain responsible for controlling signals from stomach, intestines and liver that motivate eating

  17. The Physiology of Hunger • Two distinct hypothalamic centers control eating: • 1. lateral hypothalamus – sides of the hypothalamus (causes hunger) • A. When stimulated, organism eats • B. When destroyed, organism does not eat • 2. ventromedial hypothalamus – lower-mid section of hypothalamus (depresses hunger) • A. When stimulated, organism does not eat • B. When destroyed, organism processes food rapidly causing it to gain weight

  18. This rat had its ventromedial hypothalamus destroyed causing it to gain weight.

  19. The Physiology of Hunger • The appetite hormones: • 1. insulin: secreted by pancreas, controls blood glucose • 2. leptin: protein released by fat cells; causes increase in metabolism and decrease of hunger. • 3. orexin: hunger-triggering hormone produced by hypothalamus • 4. ghrelin: secreted by empty stomach, sends “empty” signal to brain • 5. PYY: digestive tract hormone; sends “full” signal to the brain

  20. The Physiology of Hunger • Set point: “weight thermostat”; when weight drops below set point hunger increases and metabolism slows • Basal metabolic rate: energy used to maintain normal body functions when at rest

  21. Eating Disorders • Anorexia nervosa: obsession with weight loss and being skinny • Bulimia nervosa: identified by over-eating and then purging, laxative use or over-exercising.

  22. Sexual Motivation • Alfred Kinsey: biologist from Indiana University who conducted extensive research in American sexual thought and behavior

  23. The Physiology of Sex

  24. Sex Hormones

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