Motivational Theories

This page delves into various motivational theories for AP Psychology, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of different perspectives on what drives human behavior.

The section begins by defining needs as physiological necessities for survival, such as food, water, sleep, and air. It then introduces the concept of drives, which are aroused tension states when a need is not met.

Vocabulary: Primary drives are physiological, while secondary drives, like the desire for money, are learned to satisfy primary needs.

Several key theories are discussed:

1. Instinct Theory: This theory posits that certain behaviors are innate and unlearned within a species.

Example: Survival instincts and maternal instincts are examples of behaviors explained by instinct theory.

2. Drive Reduction Theory: This theory suggests that physiological needs create aroused tension states (drives) that motivate organisms to satisfy those needs.

3. Incentive Theory of Motivation: This theory focuses on how positive or negative environmental stimuli can motivate behavior.

4. Homeostasis: The tendency to maintain a balanced internal state is introduced as a key concept in understanding motivation.

Definition: Homeostasis is the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry around a particular level.

5. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: This theory proposes that human needs are organized in a hierarchy, from basic physiological needs to higher-level psychological needs.

Understanding these theories is crucial for success in the AP Psychology unit 7 motivation, emotion, and personality Practice Test.

Arousal Theory and Cognitive Dissonance

This page continues the discussion of motivational theories, focusing on the Yerkes-Dodson Law (Arousal Theory) and Cognitive Dissonance Theory.

The Yerkes-Dodson Law, also known as Arousal Theory, is a psychological concept that relates performance to arousal levels:

Highlight: The Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that there is an optimal level of arousal for performance, which varies depending on the difficulty of the task.

The theory is illustrated with a graph showing how performance changes with arousal levels for both easy and difficult tasks. This concept is crucial for understanding how motivation affects performance in various situations.

Example: Low arousal might lead to falling asleep during a test, resulting in poor performance.

The page then introduces Cognitive Dissonance Theory, developed by Festinger:

Definition: Cognitive dissonance occurs when our thoughts are inconsistent or when attitudes don't match actions.

Example: Knowing the importance of social distancing but going outside without a mask is an instance of cognitive dissonance.

The page also touches on hunger motivation, introducing key concepts such as glucose and its role in energy regulation:

Vocabulary: Glucose is a form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues.

Definition: Set point is the point at which an individual's "weight thermostat" is supposedly set.

Vocabulary: Basal Metabolic Rate refers to the body's base rate of energy expenditure.

These concepts are essential for the AP Psych motivation and emotion study guide and will likely appear in AP psychology motivation and emotion practice tests.

Hunger and Sexual Motivation

This page delves deeper into the physiological and psychological factors influencing hunger and introduces the concept of sexual motivation.

The role of the hypothalamus in controlling eating is explained:

Highlight: The lateral hypothalamus tells us to eat, while the ventromedial hypothalamus signals us to stop eating.

The page provides a comprehensive list of appetite hormones and their functions:

• Insulin: controls blood glucose
• Leptin: increases metabolism and decreases hunger
• Orexin: triggers hunger
• Ghrelin: sends "I'm hungry" signals to the brain
• PYY: sends "I'm not hungry" signals to the brain

Psychological factors influencing eating behavior are also discussed:

Vocabulary: Externals are motivated by the attractiveness or availability of food, while internals are less affected by these factors and listen more to internal cues.

Definition: The Garcia Effect refers to a classically conditioned aversion to certain foods.

The page concludes with an introduction to sexual motivation:

Highlight: Sex is a physiologically based motive but is significantly affected by learning and values.

The work of Alfred Kinsey in sexology is mentioned, and the sexual response cycle is introduced as having four stages of sexual responding.

This information is crucial for understanding the complex interplay between physiological and psychological factors in motivation, a key topic in AP psychology motivation and emotion notes and quizlets.

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Basic Concepts of Motivation, Emotion, and Personality

This section introduces fundamental concepts in motivation, emotion, and personality, which comprise 11-15% of the AP Psychology exam.

Motivation is defined as a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. The guide distinguishes between two types of motivation:

Definition: Extrinsic motivation refers to motivation from external rewards such as grades, salary, or applause.

Definition: Intrinsic motivation comes from internal rewards like enjoyment, personal satisfaction, or fulfillment.

The concept of achievement motivation is introduced as a desire for significant accomplishment, mastery, or attaining high standards.

Vocabulary: Self-efficacy, a term coined by Bandura, refers to one's belief in their ability to accomplish a task.

An important phenomenon discussed is overjustification, where external rewards can decrease intrinsic motivation for an activity one already enjoys.

Example: Athletes who initially play a sport for enjoyment may experience decreased intrinsic motivation once they start getting paid for it.

This section provides a solid foundation for understanding the complex factors that drive human behavior and emotions, essential knowledge for the AP Psychology motivation and emotion practice test.