1. Motivation
Chapter 12

2. I. Motivational Concepts
Need or desire that serves to energize behavior and direct it toward a goal
(What motivates you?)
Instinct
Complex, inherited behavior patterns that are characteristic of a species (Remember the reflexes of infants?)

3. I. Motivational Conepts
Drives and Incentives
Drive Reduction Theory – Behavior is motivated by the need to reduce drives such as hunger or thirst (The greater the need, the stronger the drive)
Homeostasis – Body’s tendency to maintain a steady internal state
Incentives – Positive or negative stimulus that motivates behavior, pulling us toward a goal

4. I. Motivational Concepts
Arousal Theories
Arousal – Level of alertness
Yerkes Dodson Law – Arousal helps performance but only up to a point. (Too much or too little arousal can decrease performance.)
The Yerkes-Dodson law describes the relationship between performance and arousal. In general, arousal will increase performance up to a point, after which further arousal impairs performance. However, optimal arousal changes according to the difficulty of the task. For a simple task, higher arousal leads to optimal performance. Lower arousal is best for difficult tasks.

5. I. Motivational Concepts
Arousal – Level of alertness, wakefulness and activation
Optimal arousal varies with the person and activity
We perform activities best when moderately aroused
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

6. II. Hunger Physiology of Hunger
Hunger is more than just empty stomach pains
Glucose – Form of sugar that circulates in the blood. When it is low, we feel hungry.
The Brain
Hunger control is in the hypothalamus
Leptin – Protein produced by fat cells. When the level is high, eating decreases and activity increases.
Set point – A preset natural body weight, determined by the number of fat cells.
Basal Metabolic Rate – Resting rate of energy expenditure.

7. II. Hunger Psychology of Hunger
External Incentives – Eating is triggered by seeing or smelling food.
Culture, to an extent, determines what we eat.
Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa – Abnormally restrictive food consumption and an unrealistic body image.
Bulimia Nervosa – Pattern of binges (intake of thousands of calories) followed by purging (via vomiting or laxatives).

8. II. Hunger Possible reasons for eating disorders?
Genetics
Culture
Just an fyi…If Barbie were a real person, she would be 5’7” and her measurements would be

9. III. Sexual Motivation
Sex is necessary for survival of the species, but not the individual.
Testosterone (hormone mainly in males) seems related to sexual motivation in both sexes.
Sexual attitudes and behaviors vary with culture
Sexual Orientation – Direction of an individuals sexual interest

10. IV. Achievement Motivation
Achievement motivation – A desire to meet some internalized standard of excellence. (People with high achievement motivation do achieve more.)
Intrinsic motivation – Desire to perform an activity for its own sake.
Extrinsic motivation – Desire to perform an activity to obtain a reward.
Overjustification effect – Promising a reward for doing something we already do. This results in us seeing the reward as motivation.

11. IV. Achievement Motivation
Motivating People
Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology – Studies and advises on workplace behavior.
Cultivate intrinsic motivation
Provide challenging tasks that trigger creativity
Avoid overusing extrinsic rewards
Praise effort more than ability
Attend to motives
Managing styles vary with different groups
Different things motivate different people
Set specific challenging goals

12. IV. Achievement Motivation
Motivating People
Choose appropriate leadership styles
Task leadership – Goal oriented leadership that sets standards, organizes work, and focuses attention on goals. They are good at keeping a group centered on a task.
Social leadership – Group oriented leadership that builds teamwork, mediates conflict and offers support. They are good for morale.