Lecture Notes: Motivation and Emotion

Achievement Motivation

• Definition:

  • The need to master difficult challenges, outperform others, and meet high standards.
  • Desire to excel, particularly in competition with others.

• Research History:

  • Pioneered by David McClelland.
  • Achievement motivation as a catalyst for economic growth, scientific progress, leadership, and creative masterpieces.
  • Focus on individual differences using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).

• Characteristics of High Achievement Motivation:

  • Tend to work harder and show persistence.
  • Delay gratification for long-term goals.

• John Atkinson's Theory:

  • Achievement pursuit depends on:
    • Strength of motivation to achieve success.
    • Probability of success.
    • Incentive value of success.
  • Moderate challenging tasks offer best value.
  • Critique: Eurocentric and capitalist focus.

Emotional Expression and Cultural Norms

• Social Emotional Display:
  • Emotional reactions can vary with different social groups (family, friends, acquaintances).
  • Display rules are culturally dependent.
  • Consequences of not following display rules.

Emotional Experience

• Components:

  • Cognitive Component: Subjective and conscious experience.
  • Physiological Component: Bodily arousal via autonomic nervous system.
  • Behavioral Component: Overt expressions and body language.

• Cognitive Component:

  • Emotions characterized as pleasant/unpleasant.
  • Affective forecasting: people often mispredict emotional reactions.

• Physiological Component:

  • Involvement of autonomic nervous system.
  • Key brain areas: hypothalamus, amygdala, limbic system.

• Behavioral Component:

  • Emotions expressed through nonverbal cues like facial expressions.

Cross-Cultural Emotion Expression

• Universality of Facial Expressions:
  • Basic emotions recognized across cultures: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, disgust.
  • Some cultural disparities exist.
  • Display rules vary by culture.

Theories of Emotion

• James-Lange Theory:

  • Emotion results from perception of autonomic arousal.
  • "I feel afraid because I tremble."

• Cannon-Bard Theory:

  • Emotions occur when thalamus sends signals to cortex (conscious emotion) and autonomic system (arousal) simultaneously.

• Schachter's Two-Factor Theory:

  • Emotion depends on autonomic arousal and cognitive interpretation.
  • Similar physiological arousal can lead to different emotions based on context.

Evolutionary Perspective on Emotions

• Darwin's View:
  • Emotions are adaptive and evolved before thought.
  • Innate emotions with adaptive value.
  • Universally recognized primary emotions: fear, anger, joy, disgust, interest, surprise.

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