Motivation and Emotion Chapter 5
Symbolism, Motivation and Emotion Symbolism: higher brain functions Eg. Eating Everyone needs to do it, so it is a basic human need We are supposed to eat a certain way (good manners)
Symbolism, Motivation and Emotion Drives us to a specific goal Eat, drink, make friends, be happy, etc…
Symbolism, Motivation and Emotion State of the body that causes us to “feel” one way or another Happy, sad, angry, etc… Both emotion and motivation involve psychological and physiological factors
Hypothalamus Primary center for emotions People want pleasure and want to avoid pain Center for these two needs Fear, rage, hunger, thirst, sex drive are also located here
Amygdala Can also create fear and aggression Does not need higher brain functions to work you can actually become afraid if this is set off and there is nothing around you How people can tell that someone is afraid
Reticular Activating System Controls the amount of activity in the brain Emotion and motivation all need some type of activity from the brain
Pituitary and Adrenal Glands These glands secret hormones that activate certain parts of our bodies Eg. When scared and motivated to leave an area, the adrenal glands assist our muscles by burning more energy, thus we move faster
Gonads These glands allow hormones to be secreted that assist in the production of eggs or sperm Sexual interest (desire) is controlled by androgens Sexuality is more of a mental, symbolic gesture The physical part of sex is usually a secondary role Sex is a motivation for procreation, but is not necessary to survive like eating and sleeping…
Motivational Forces Our bodies are driven to achieve certain goals These goals are sometimes not known or controlled by us Think our bodies as a start/stop cycle Feel hungryeatstop eatingdigestrepeat
Hunger When we are hungry, our brain tells us However, when we are angry or depressed, the level of acid and saliva may change This can greatly effect how much we eat/don’t eat Depression Obesity
Thirst The hypothalamus tells us when our tongue is dry, what temperature of liquid we want should be, and what the right amount of liquid is We can drink the right amount of water after exercise, even before our brain tells us how much we need/want
Non-Survival Needs We often find that we need some type of change We also have a tendency to make more out of something than there needs to be
Non-Survival Needs Curiosity Motive (mostly animals) We slow down to watch accidents We always seem intrigued by things we do not understand
Non-Survival Needs Manipulative Motive (Primates) Primates love to handle things Humans do the same thing video games, twiddling fingers
Non-Survival Needs Intrinsic Motivation Coming from the person Internal Do something for its own reward
Non-Survival Needs Extrinsic Motivation We are rewarded for the things we do You take a test to get an A, not for the learning of the material
Non-Survival Needs Need for stimulation Contact comfort In an experiment, two monkeys were given two mothers 1 mother was a set of wires with a feeding tube 1 mother was a piece of terry cloth wrapped around wire When scared, the monkey would go to the terry cloth for ‘help’
Non-Survival Needs Need for stimulation Studies have found that children that are not cared for properly are sicker and more unhealthy The cerebellum is involved in emotional growth Since this is involved in sensations and bodily movement, there is a connection with how much comfort is given to a baby & how well the cerebellum develops.
Emotions Emotions are hard to define People do have primal emotions Difference between anger and frustration People do have primal emotions Smile is universal Facial expressions
Opponent-Process Theory Once you experience a strong emotion, you will feel the opposite for a while afterwards Very happy depressed
Opponent-Process Theory Cognition/Emotion Cognition involves the higher brain function Anticipation is a big part of sensation, especially when we are waiting for something Roller coaster Society has developed emotional cues for different reactions Our mind remembers and these reactions become more like instinct
Opponent-Process Theory Emotional Intelligence Made of many levels This essentially means how well we handle emotional situations both personally & socially
Theories of Emotion James-Lange Theory: Emotion is not created until AFTER the body reacts Cannon-Bard Theory: Emotion is created WHILE the body reacts Schachter’s Cognitive Theory: Emotion is created after our brain labels what we have seen/processed This supports the ides that symbolism is tied into emotion