Motivation

1. Motivation Psychology 1107

2. Introduction • A need or desire that seems to energize behaviour • The notion of ‘instinct’ is popular • Fixed unlearned pattern • Suck reflex for example • Today it is more common to speak of drives and incentives

3. Drives and incentives • Centerpiece of drive reduction theory • Physiological need creates an aroused psychological state • Homeostasis is the key • Sort of like a thermometer

4. Maslow • Maslow said we have a hierarchy of needs • Physiological • Safety • Belongingness • Esteem • Self-actualization • So why do people go on hunger strikes? • May not be quite so hierarchical

5. Hunger • Stomach contractions make you ‘feel hungry’ • Hmm, but people and animals without a stomach still feel hungry! • You can get specific hungers • Sweet • Carbs • Sodium • potassium

6. Hunger • In general, your brain monitors your body chemistry • Activity in lateral hypothalamus brings on hunger • Ventromedial stop eating • Info sent from hypothalamus to other brain regions, from hypothalamus to brain areas • Sweet and fat foods taste good for a reason, but, there are also cultural effects

7. Eating disorders • Anorexia • Bulimia • Bulimics are more likely to come from families of alcoholics, obese families or depressed families • Anorexics are more likely to be high achievers • Genetic factors • NOT childhood sexual abuse • Cultural effects

8. Sexual motivation • Scientific study of sex was for the most part nonexistent until 1948 • Kinsey and Pommeroy • Major findings • Premarital sex • Masturbation • Homosexuality • Prostitutes • variety

9. The Kinsey report • Somewhat odd interviewing techniques • Lousy sample • Got in trouble with the volume about females (everyone ‘knew’ men thought about sex, but not women!!)

10. Sex • While Kinsey’s methods were suspect, they were WAY better than the junk in Magazines and the Hite report • Some interesting tidbits from recent (good) surveys • 91% of people are faithful to their partner • 98% have been faithful in the last year!

11. Physiology of sex • And you thought Kinsey was controversial… • Masters and Johnson (1966) • They um err umm, watched people.. • Sexual response cycle • Excitement • Plateau • Orgasm • Resolution • Refractory

12. Hormonal effects • Women have somewhat ‘more’ sex drive during ovulation • Correlated with estrogen • Men have much less cycling • However, testosterone leads to arousal leads to testosterone.

13. Psychology • Unlike say hunger or thirst there is no ‘need’ per se • External stimuli are important • Both males and females react most to depictions of an explicit nature • Hmm, does it lead to impossible expectations? • Imagined stimuli important too • Dreams • fantasies

14. Orientation • 3-4% of males, about 1 % of females are homosexual exclusively • You do NOT choose to be gay or straight • Probably determined in vivo • Brain organization • Genetic factors

15. Achievement • Ok, so we’ve eaten, had sex, what’s next? • Refer back to Maslow • People with a high need to achieve tend to achieve more • Have reasonable and reachable goals • High achievement motivation often linked to parental behaviour

16. Achievement • Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation • How do we motivate? • Cultivate intrinsic motivation • Keep ‘em curious • Avoid heavy reliance on extrinsic motivation • Informing is better than controlling • Attend to motives • Reasonable challenging goals