Motivation
How do we define it…?
Motivation
or ideas that cause us to act
Feelings
toward a goal.
Theories on Motivation
Instinctive Motivation
– Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859)
– Automatic behaviors in response to
specific stimuli (not learned)
– Waned in 1940’s
Drive-Reduction Theory (1940’s-1950’s)
Behavior is motivated by biological needs
IOW: Our drive is to reduce our needs.
Need = requirement for survival
Drive = impulse to act in way that satisfies
need
PrimaryDrives: biological needs (thirst, hunger)
Secondary Drives: learned drives (money)
Body seeks Homeostasis: Balanced
internal state
Push-Pull factors
Nature (biological push) / nurture
(psychological pull)
Create an example of Drive-Reduction
theory.
Limitations of theory?
Arousal Theory
Arousal Theory
We seek optimum level of excitement / arousal
High optimum level of arousal = high
excitement behaviors
Perform better at high level of arousal
Yerkes-Dodson law (1908):
performance increases with physiological
or mental arousal, but only up to a point.
Different tasks require different levels of
arousal for optimal performance
Incentive Theory
Incentives: stimuli we are drawn to
due to learning
“Nurture or pull” driven by desire
Create an example
Abraham Maslow
The Rise of Humanistic Psychology
Clues to Maslow’s Theory on Motivation
“Not all needs are created equal.”
“The normal personality is characterized by unity,
integration, consistency, and coherence.
Organization is the natural state, and
disorganization is pathological.”
The organism has one sovereign drive, that is self-
actualization. People strive continuously to realize
their inherent potential by whatever avenues are
open to them.
“Man is basically good, not evil.”
“What a man can be, he must be.”
“The salvation of the human being is not to be found
in either behaviorism or psychoanalysis. We must
deal with the questions of value, individuality,
consciousness, purpose, ethics and the higher
reaches of human nature.”
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Team Challenge
1. Choose one commercial that best
markets a motivational need for each
level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Extra credit will be awarded for the most
accurate, creative choices!
2. Assume you are a corporate manager
charged with increasing employee
motivation, thereby increasing worker
production. Create at least three specific
proposals for each stage of Maslow’s
hierarchy that would help achieve this
goal.
Maslow: Summative Questions
Maslow is cited as the founder of “humanistic
psychology.” What does this term mean?
What does the article cite as the 3 “forces” of
psychology? How did the 3rd change the
fundamental approach to the study of
psychology?
Who did Maslow pronounce as self-actualized?
What criticisms might be found in Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs?
How has Maslow’s work ultimately affected the
study of psychology? What is its’ legacy in
Western culture?
Aron Ralston
“Between a Rock and a Hard Place”
Which theory of Motivation?
Primarily physiological or psychological
motivation?
Maslow’s Hierarchy? Explain.
Physiology of Hunger
Glucose= blood sugar
Pancreas produces insulin / breaks down glucose
(converts some to stored fat)
Stomach, liver, intestines: signal brain as to
glucose level
Hypothalamus
Neural switchboard
Helps govern endocrine system (regulates
pituitary gland)
Linked to emotion
Directs eating, drinking, body temp.
Monitors levels of body’s appetite
hormones
Lateral Hypothalamus
Brings on hunger
rat research
Stimulate: Well fed would eat
Destroy: Starving would not
Low glucose = orexin secretion (eating
hormone)
Lower-mid hypothalamus (Ventromedial)
Depresses hunger
Stimulation = stop eating
Destroy it = obesity (no brakes)
Lesion to L.M. Hypo = eat more often,
produce more fat, use less energy
Hormones / Chemicals and Hunger…
Ghrelin: hormone secreted by empty
stomach (arouses hunger)
Gastric bypass surgery = less ghrelin
Leptin: chemical secreted by fat cells
suppresses hunger
PYY: Digestive hormone / suppresses
appetite
Research to address obesity
Theories on Hunger and Body Weight
Set Point: (weight thermostat)
Body adjusts to changes in food intake to
maintain homeostasis
Less food = rise in hunger , fall in energy
9 month study: ½ food intake, 25% set
point
Set point outdated / “settling point”
Basal metabolic rate: energy expenditure
at rest
Hunger Motivation
Eating Disorders
Anorexia Nervosa
Obsession with losing weight
Starts with weight-lost diet
Negative self-body image / perfectionist
standards
Usually adolescents
Mothers who focus on own weight
Competitive, high-achieving families
9 of 10: female
Genetic and cultural theories
Eating Disorders
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge-Purge
Overeating, compensatory vomiting, laxative use,
fasting, extreme exercise
Dieter breaks diet restrictions…
weight fluctuations within or above normal ranges
(easy to hide)
Often sweet, high fat foods
Depression, anxiety
½ of anorexia victims have bulimia symptoms
Anorexia, Bulimia
The Ideal of Slenderness
Distorting Reality
The Ideal of Slenderness
Distorting Reality
Sexual Motivation
Sexual Response Cycle
Initial excitement
Plateau Phase
Orgasm
Resolution
Sexual Motivation
How does the refractory period differ between
genders?
How do men and women differ in their
respective production of sexual hormones in
relation to sexual reception, or drive?
What is the current conclusion in research
concerning the environmental influence on
sexual orientation?
Questions For Discussion…
“The brain, it has been said, is our most
significant sex organ.” Psychological or
physiological?
Do humans choose their sexual
orientation?
Questions for Discussion
in your team the difference
Distinguish
between same sex unions and same sex
marriage.
Should either or both of these unions be
legalized in the United States? Explain.
Questions for Discussion
Ifmolecular genetics is able to determine
that homosexuality is in fact caused by
genetics, does that influence your
position?
Should it influence the government’s
position?
The Information Age and Sexual Motivation
How would you assess the influence of
internet pornography on sexual motivation
of today’s youth?
Whatare the psychological dangers of this
phenomenon?
Social Motivation
What needs prompt our social motivation?
(Brainstorm and list with a partner.)
Social inclusion (need to belong)
Acceptance
Maintaining relationships
Aiding survival
Work and Motivation
Types of jobs
Job: make money, but not fulfilling
Career: opportunity to advance (up the
ladder)
Calling: fulfilling, socially useful activity
Identify two occupations for each category.
Achievement Motivation
Desire to master complex tasks and
knowledge to reach personal goals.
(More complex behaviors)
Motivation at Work
Extrinsic motivation:
External motivators / from our environment
Intrinsic motivation:
internal motivators (interest, enjoyment,
satisfaction)
List one extrinsic and one intrinsic
motivation for you personally.
Management and Motivation
Theory X
Management believes that employees are
motivated by rewards and punishments
Theory Y
Management believes employees are
internally motivated to do good work and
policies should strive for this.
Theory X and Y
Choose theory X or Y for the following
questions. Consider jobs, careers and
callings respectively for each.
Which is more realistic?
Which is a more effective management
style?
Which would you pursue as a manager?
Psychology in the Workplace
Industrial-Organizational psychology
(fasting growing field of psychology)
Human factors: Optimizing person-machine
interactions
Personnel Psychology
Selection and placement
Training / developing employees
Appraising performance
Organizational Psychology
Developing organizations
When Motives Conflict
Approach-Approach conflict
Two desirable outcomes
Avoidance-Avoidance conflict
Two unattractive outcomes
Approach-Avoidance conflict
One event/goal: positive and negative
features
Multiple Approach-avoidance conflicts
2 or more things / each with desirable and
undesirable features