Psychology Unit 2 Study Guide A Motivation the source of goal driven behavior We do everything for a reason even if the reason is beyond conscious awareness It generally comes from needs and desires therefore everyone s motivations are different a Theories of motivation i Instinct Theory proposes that behaviors are guided by inborn instincts This can explain evolutionary drives related to survival and reproduction The environment around you can activate inborn instincts Examples 1 Hunger babies are born with rooting and sucking reflex for breastfeeding 2 Physical affection Harlow monkey experiments monkeys seek maternal bonds and later seek sexual and romantic bonds 3 Physical comfort preferences for warmth and avoidance of pain ii Drive Reduction Theory proposes that behaviors are motivated by the drive to maintain biological homeostasis which is the body maintaining its equilibrium It is based on biological needs which when arise create an internal tension that motivates us to restore the balance iii Arousal Theory proposes that behavior can be motivated by a drive to seek arousal even if it isn t linked to biological needs Example watching TV reading meeting new people etc Arousal is rewarding and the drive to seek it is evolutionary useful 1 Over stimulation too much arousal can decrease the enjoyment of what one is doing Motivates us to seek the right amount of arousal 2 Verkes Dodson Law for easy tasks high levels of arousal improve performance for difficult tasks high levels of arousal impair performance and for optimal performance arousal level should match task difficulty iv Incentive Theory proposes that seeking rewards or avoiding punishments motivates behavior Intrinsic driven by innate pleasure of the act Example many biological drives 1 2 Extrinsic driven by seeking rewards from an outside source Example getting an 3 Primary linked to inherent feelings of reward or punishment Example food A on test rewarding pain punishing 4 Secondary learned through association with primary incentives Example money is used to meet primary needs a Incentive salience not all people share the same secondary incentive Something a person finds highly rewarding or especially negative would be described as having more incentive salience v Self Actualization Theory people have multiple sources of motivation including biological social and personal Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs each need can only be fulfilled if each lesser need is first completed Physiological needs safety needs social needs esteem needs and then self actualization Very few people reach self actualization vi Social Motivation can be explicit or implicit Common ones include achievement motivation affiliation motivation and power motivation b Need to Achieve Love Power i Need to Achieve achievement motivation is a chronic concern with success and achievement Often worry about positive evaluations performance excellence and unique accomplishment They have a strong fear of failure or poor performance ii Need for Love affiliation intimacy motivation s chronic concern for maintaining or restoring relationships Worry about friendships intimacy love harmony compassion companionship etc They have a strong fear of personal rejection separation from others and sadness iii Need for Power power motivation is the chronic concern for power control or influence They are concerned about being in charge having an impact on others being able to control persuade impress others and have status They have a strong fear of being subordinate dominated by others and having no control B Attraction sex and relationships a 5 factors that affect how you feel about a person i Similarity friends and romantic partners tend to be similar in beliefs and other qualities like attractiveness and intelligence Social validation and easier communication comes with being with someone like yourself ii Propinquity proximity we tend to like people that we encounter more often MIT study more friendships between neighbors Police Academy study more friendships between trainees whose names were close alphabetically when dorms and classes arranged by last name Manhattan housing study 88 of friends live in the same building iii Self disclosure we tell people information about ourselves to other people when we like them People who tell us information about them are liked more Disclosing builds familiarity and trust iv Situational factors influence creating and maintaining feelings of liking We build friendships with people who we share an emotional experience with Situational factors influence proximity and promote feelings of similarity v Physical attractiveness people who are attractive are liked more Qualities of attractiveness body 1 Symmetry sign of physical and immune health 2 Averageness appearance does not deviate from norms 3 Sexual differentiation having appropriately masculine or feminine face and b Mate selection women are more selective because pregnancy is costly Men want a greater number of sexual partners and use pornography and prostitutes more i Men desire physical attractiveness They tend to marry younger women Waist to hip ratio is associated with fertility They are often treated as success symbols ii Women desire resource investment because pregnancy is costly They are attracted to men with ability status intelligence skill and willingness to invest They are often treated as sex symbols c Stages of human sexual response excitement plateau orgasm resolution i Excitement arousal begins and blood flow increases ii Plateau prolonged state of arousal including increased breathing heart rate and muscle iii Orgasm muscle tension and blood flow reach a peak Climax occurs resulting in intense tension muscle spasms iv Resolution return to baseline Muscles relax breathing and heart rate return to normal Women can have multiple orgasms men cannot d Sternberg s Triangular Theory of Love romantic relationships composed of 3 elements all combined in different ways 3 Factors of love i Intimacy trust caring honesty support ii Commitment loyalty devotion sacrifice iii Passion sexual excitement physical attraction butterflies in stomach e Investment Model of Commitment components of whether couples stay committed Includes rewards costs comparison alternatives comparison level for alternatives and investments f Bad relationships are when the ration of positive to negative interactions is less than 3 to 1 good to bad 4 things that show the end of a relationship are