Social Psychology Lecture 1 Motivation Theories of motivation Instinct Theory Drive Reduction Theory Arousal Theory Incentive Theory Self Actualization Theory Social Motivation Motivation source of goal driven behavior Everything we do is for a reason Sometimes the reason is beyond conscious awareness Generally stems from needs and desires Everyone s motivations and goals are different Although goals may differ the ways that motivations guide behavior are similar among people Instinct theory proposes that behaviors are guided by inborn instincts Instinct theory may explain many evolutionary drives related to survival and reproduction Example biological drives like hunger sexual desire or sexual attraction Inborn instincts may be activated by environment Example some maternal instincts in mammals are not activated until they have children Inborn motivations include o Hunger babies born with rooting and sucking reflex for breastfeeding o Physical affection Harlow monkey experiments seeking maternal bonds Later seek sexual and romantic bonds o Physical comfort preferences for warmth avoidance of pain Baby reflexes present at birth o Sucking reflex suck milk o Palmar grasp reflex grab anything put in hand strong enough for baby to support own weight Signal to caregivers of mother o Startle reflex extension of arms and legs when startled or discomforted o Walking reflex when held upright they take baby steps if walking o Attention to faces vision will track face like objects over others Prefers face o Babinski reflex toes spread outward if something rubbed against foot This is used as a test of infant reflexes o Swim they can hold their breath underwater Drive Reduction theory proposes that behaviors are motivated by the drive to maintain biological homeostasis which is the body maintaining equilibrium Based on biological needs When this biological need arises we feel an internal tension such as hunger This tension motivates a need to restore balance The behavior is directed to fulfill the need to get back to balance Arousal theory proposes that behavior can be motivated by a drive to seek arousal even if arousal isn t linked to biological needs This theory can explain why people seek new methods of stimulation Example TV reading talking to people etc Arousal is rewarding and the drive to seek arousal is evolutionarily useful Over stimulated arousal may be rewarding but too much can decrease the enjoyment of what one is doing We may be motivated to seek the right amount of arousal Verkes Dodson Law o For easy tasks high levels of arousal will improve performance o For difficult tasks high levels of arousal will impair performance o For optimal performance arousal level should match task difficulty Incentive theory proposes that behavior is motivated by seeking rewards or avoiding punishments Can be intrinsic or extrinsic and primary or secondary Intrinsic motivations motivations driven by the innate pleasure of the act Many biological drives are rewarding Ex eating hugging having sex Extrinsic motivations motivation driven by seeking rewards that come from an outside source Ex getting an A on your test from studying Primary linked to inherent feelings of reward or punishment Primary incentives are not learned Ex food is rewarding pain is punishing Secondary learned through their association with primary incentives Ex money is used to meet primary needs which makes it rewarding Incentive salience not all people share the same secondary incentive Something that a person finds highly rewarding or especially negative would be described as having more incentive salience Incentive vs motive incentive what you want and motivation why you want it Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs people have multiple sources of motivation Some are biological social and personal Each higher need can only be fulfilled if each lesser need is first satisfied 1 Physiological needs food water 2 Safety needs shelter survival 3 Social needs love friends approval 4 Esteem needs feelings of self worth 5 Self actualization becoming ideal self Very few people reach this Social motives self actualization can mean different things to different people Social motivations can be explicit or implicit Common social motivations include achievement motivation affiliation motivation and power motivation Implicit social motivations can be tested for with projective tests such as the Thematic Apperception Test The Need to Achieve Achievement motivation chronic concern with success and achievement Concern with positive evaluations performance excellence and unique accomplishment Strong fear of failure or poor performance Achievement themes people high in achievement motivation would likely project themes of great discovery success high grades Use of words like good better excellent success progressive discovery and first The Need for Love Affiliation Intimacy motivation chronic concern for maintaining or restoring relationships Concern about friendships intimacy love harmony companionship nurturance compassion and sympathy for others Strong fear of personal rejection separation from others and sadness Affiliation themes people in high affiliation motivation would likely project themes of friendship compassion and love Use of words like friend love peace and family The Need for Power Power motivation chronic concern for power control or influence Concern about being in charge having impact on others being able to control others persuade others impress others and have status Strong fear of being subordinate being dominated by others and having no control Power themes people high in power motivation would likely project a status difference Use of words like force demand resist impress condemn prestige and glory