Chapter 9—Motivation and Emotion
Motivation--factors that influence initiation, direction, intensity, & persistence of
behaviors
4 Sources of Motivation:
1) Biological Needs--food, water, sex.
2) Emotional Factors--emotions can cause us to act in certain ways (fear, love, anger)
3) Cognitive Factors--beliefs and thoughts / perceptions cause us to act.
4) Social Factors--people & society cause us to act in a certain way.
3 Theories of Motivation:
1) Instinct theory--behavior motivated by instincts -- unlearned, automatic “habits”
2) Drive-Reduction Theory-based on concept of Homeostasis--tendency to keep the
body “balanced”
oChange in homeostasis creates a Need--a biological requirement
oBrain responds to needs by creating Drives--feeling of arousal that
prompts us to take action
Drive Reduction Theory differs from Instinct Theory in that it
recognizes the influence of learning on motivation—
oit does this by distinguishing between primary and
secondary drives:
Primary drives --stem from biological needs & satisfies by
food, water, sex (like instinct theory).
Secondary drives --satisfied by secondary reinforcers (i.e.,
money, “A’s”, praise, etc.)
oHowever, neither instinct theory nor drive reduction theory can explain
behaviors that don’t obviously decrease drives, for example, curiosity
3) Arousal Theory-- explains behaviors that don’t decrease drives
for example, thrill-seeking and curiosity.
Arousal--general level of activation
Arousal theory says that people are motivated to maintain their optimum
level of arousal.
-- Sometimes we’re motivated to increase arousal, sometimes we’re
motivated to decrease arousal.
-- Yerkes-Dodson Law--People perform best under moderate levels of
arousal
people have different “optimum” arousal levels, but in general:
if you have a boring day, want to do something exciting at night
if have a busy day, relax at night
Achievement Motivation
Extrinsic Motivation--desire to work for external reward like money , fame, power.
Intrinsic Motivation--work for “internal” satisfaction of a job well done.
Need for Achievement (nAch)
