1. Motivation
Motivation - the process by which activities are started, directed, and continued so that physical or psychological needs or wants are met.
Biological, Emotional, Cognitive, Social forces
Activation
Persistence
Intensity

2. Motivation

3. Extrinsic Motivation Vs. Intrinsic Motivation
A desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishment.
Intrinsic
A desire to perform a behavior for its own sake.
Interest / enjoyment in task itself

4. 5 Motivational Theories
Instinct / Evolutionary Perspective -unlearned
Drive Reduction - homeostasis
Incentive – reinforcement & punishment
Arousal Theory - balance
Humanistic: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – psychological needs of those who were psychologically healthy
Achievement Motivation – overcome obstacles

5. Evolutionary (Instinct) Theory
inherited patterns of behavior that are unlearned
Self preservation
Mostly common in species outside of humans
Evolutionary programming
Fixed action patterns
Evolutionary heritage

6. Evolutionary (Instinct) Theory
Strengths:
Provides survival value
By studying animals, we can understand basic human behaviors
Weaknesses:
Doesn’t meet the complexity of most human behavior
Many behaviors cannot be simplified to this degree
described & labeled behavior, did not explain them.

7. Biological: Drive Reduction Theory
Desire to reduce internal tension caused by unmet biological needs
Hunger
Exhaustion
Drive: aroused state of psychological / physiological tension caused by some need
Drives motivate us to do something
Need: - a requirement (such as food or water) that is essential for survival of the organism.
Thirstiness (physiological need) creates tension state (drive) which motivates you to get water
After you drink, the drive is reduced and you are closer to homeostasis

8. Types of Drive
Primary drives - those drives that involve needs of the body such as hunger and thirst.
Acquired (secondary) drives - those drives that are learned through experience or conditioning, such as the need for money or social approval.

9. Homeostasis
The goal of our body, according to com psychologist, is to ELMINATE all drives so that we can experience homeostasis
A balanced or constant internal state that the body regulates

10. Biological: Drive Reduction Theory
Strengths
Useful for explaining biological needs
Primary drives satisfied
Homeostasis for biological needs
Weaknesses
Does not account for secondary motives
Curiosity
Sensation seeking
Play
Achievement
Affiliation
Power

11. Incentive Theory
A positive or negative ENVIRONMENTAL (has to be external) stimulus that motivates behavior
Apart from the “need” to reduce drives.
‘pull’ of external goals
Based on personal & cultural experiences
Wants & desires

12. Incentive Theory Strengths: Weaknesses: Secondary drives satisfied
Does not account for primary motives
Fails to explain why people do things when not receiving an external incentive

13. Contrasting Approaches You are hungry…
Drive Reduction
“Push”
5 Hours since last meal
Hunger
Internal
Incentive
“Pull”
Ice cream truck
Palatability (good tasting)
external

14. Biological: Arousal Theory
Based on 2 basic ideas
Individuals perform tasks at different levels of arousal
Wakefulness / alertness & stress
Each individual seeks to find its optimal level of arousal to perform tasks & avoid boredom
Boredom vs. overstimulation
high levels of optimal arousal = more susceptible to thrill seeking activities
low = seek out more relaxing & quiet activities.

15. Biological: Arousal Theory
Strengths:
Explains the search for varied & novel activities
Risky behavior
Adds to the homeostasis idea
Weaknesses
Not a comprehensive theory

16. Biological: Optimal Arousal Theory
Yerkes-Dodson Principle of Arousal
What level of arousal is optimal for most individuals when they are completing DIFFICULT/SKILL BASED TASKS?
What level of arousal is optimal for most individuals when they are completing EASY /EFFORT BASED TASKS?
States basic/general tasks are completed best with a moderate level of arousal (inverted U graph)

17. Biological: Zuckerman ~ sensation seeking
Sensation seeking scale
Some people have an above average need for sensation seeking
Thrill & adventure seeking
Experience-seeking
Disinhibition
Boredom susceptibility

18. Behavioral: Achievement Motivation
A desire for significant accomplishments; for mastery of things, people, or ideas; for attaining a high standard
Self-endorsed (personal or cultural expectations)
Outperforming, excelling, succeeding, control, high standard
People who have LOW achievement motivation prefer very easy or very difficult tasks.
People with HIGH achievement motivation prefer moderately difficult tasks.

19. Behavioral: Achievement Motivation
Strengths:
High achievement Correlates well with various areas of success
Delay gratification
Original thinking
Seek expert advice
Value feedback
Weaknesses:
Didn’t initially take emotional factors into account.
Individualistic cultures
Need to achieve emphasizes
Personal individual success
Collectivist cultures
Achievements views as a way of bringing glory to one’s family, group, or country

20. Relative Deprivation
you have the perception that you are worse off than the other people you compare yourself to.
Having this feeling typically leads to frustration.
How then, does it drive behavior?

21. Humanism: Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Physical Needs at bottom must be met first.
Psychological goals come after… ultimate goal is self actualization.
Personal potential
Psychological and cognitive factors
How good a society does human nature permit?
How good a human nature does society permit?
Self transcendence = focus beyond the SELF~

23. Humanistic Motivation
Strengths:
Recognized biological needs & importance of environment
Weaknesses:
Too basic of ideas
Self-actualization concept is vague
Limited samples
The notion that we must satisfy needs at one level before moving on to the next has not been supported by research

24. Need to Belong… Aiding survival Wanting to belong
Sustaining Relationships
The pain of ostracism
Social exclusion
BRAIN heightened
Anterior cingulate cortex
Physical pain
Ostracism
Regulation of sympathetic activity

25. Self actualized characteristics
Value privacy
Democratic
Problem-centered
Nonconformists
Clear perception of reality
Un-hostile sense of humor
Autonomous & independent
Accept themselves & others
Not afraid of success or failure
Creative, willing to try new things
Spontaneous; open, concentrate on present
Develop close relationships with others
Realize potential & appreciate potential in others
Enjoy the process of doing something as well as the end product
NOT defensive
STUDIED people with qualities Maslow admired
Criticisms: too positive, vague, and subjective concepts (difficult to measure)
*encouraging selfishness and self-indulgence
*underestimates the value of social obligations
*underestimates the human predisposition to engage in destructive & evil behaviors

26. Anorexia
Parents who are high achieving & protective

27. Sexual Motivation Sexual response: External Stimuli E =excitement
P = plateau
O = orgasm
R = resolution
External Stimuli
Viewing images of sexually attractive people
Devalue own partners
Salt N Pepa
The song talks about safe sex, the positive and negative sides of sex and the censorship that sex had around that time in 1991 American mainstream media.

28. Adolescent Sexuality Why higher rate of teen pregnancy & abortion?
Ignorance
Minimal communication about birth control
Guilt related to sexual activity
Alcohol use
Mass media norms of unprotected promiscuity
Predictors of sexual restraint
High intelligence
Religious engagement
Father presence
Service learning programs
Salt & Peppa = lets talk about sex…