Understanding Motivation and Emotion in Psychology

Oct 12, 2024

Lecture: Motivation and Emotion

Introduction

  • Topic: Chapter 10 from the Psychology Second Edition textbook
  • Focus: Motivation and emotion

Motivation

  • Definition: Drives behavior towards goals
  • Types:
    • Intrinsic Motivation:
      • Arises from internal factors
      • Associated with autonomy, mastery, purpose
      • Example: Enjoyment in teaching
    • Extrinsic Motivation:
      • Arises from external factors
      • Example: Working for a paycheck
  • Simultaneous Experience: Possible to have both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations at the same time

Theories of Motivation

  1. Over-justification Effect
    • Intrinsic motivation may decrease when extrinsic rewards are involved
    • Example: Hobby becoming a job
  2. Drive Theory
    • Driven by the need to maintain homeostasis
    • Deviations create physiological needs leading to behavior
    • Example: Self-medication with drugs for anxiety
  3. Arousal Theory
    • Optimal level of arousal leads to best performance
    • Yerkes-Dodson Law: Performance affected by task difficulty and arousal level
  4. Self-efficacy
    • Belief in one's ability to complete tasks
    • Low self-efficacy can lead to learned helplessness
  5. Social Motives
    • Need for achievement, affiliation, intimacy
  6. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
    • Needs must be satisfied in a specific order from physiological to self-actualization

Sexual Behavior

  • Research: Kinsey, Masters, and Johnson
  • Physiological Mechanisms: Hypothalamus, amygdala, hormones
  • Human Sexual Response: Masters and Johnson's study on physiological responses
  • Kinsey Scale: Measures sexual orientation on a scale from exclusively heterosexual to homosexual

Influences on Sexual Attitudes

  • Media, internet, societal norms, religion, family traditions
  • Early Research: Victorian misconceptions, Havelock Ellis

Summary of Studies

  • Kinsey: Surveys on sexual behavior, Kinsey Scale
  • Masters and Johnson: Observational studies on sexual response

Video Recap

  • Masters and Johnson's pioneering research on human sexual response
  • Overturned misconceptions about female sexuality

Key Points

  • Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can coexist
  • Over-justification effect may reduce intrinsic motivation
  • Drive Theory focuses on returning to homeostasis
  • Arousal Theory emphasizes optimal performance through moderate arousal
  • Self-efficacy influences motivation and behavior
  • Maslow's hierarchy suggests needs are met in a sequence
  • Sexual behavior research has evolved, challenging past misconceptions