Emotion & MotivationEmotion & Motivation

Chapter 9Chapter 9

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Emotions – made up of subjective feelings, behavioral expressions, and physiological activity

Three primary functions 1. prepare us for action2. shape future behavior3. regulate social interactions

What Do Our Emotions What Do Our Emotions Do For Us?Do For Us?

How many emotions are there?How many emotions are there?• Counting the emotions

(Paul Ekman -7)

Universal Expressions of Emotion

Even members of remote cultures can recognize facial expressions in people who are foreign to them.

Infants are able to read parental expressions. Facial expression can generate same

expressions in others (*mood contagion)

Arousal, Performance, and the Inverted “U”

Inverted “U” function –

Describes the relationship between arousal and performance

Performance

Low HighLow

High

Arousal Level

Where Do Our Emotions Where Do Our Emotions Come From?Come From?

Emotions may result from an interaction of biological, mental, and social/cultural processes

*Emotion Debate

Cognition vs. Physiological Response

Persistent Issues in the Psychology of Emotion

James-Lange theory–An emotion-provoking stimulus produces a physical response that, in turn, produces an emotion (facial expression hypothesis)

Two-factor theory – (Schachter)Emotion results from the cognitive appraisal of both (1) physical arousal and (2) emotion provoking stimulus

Two-factor Theory of Emotion

Physiological arousal– Sweaty palms– Increased heart rate– rapid breathing

Cognitive Label– Attribute source of

arousal to a cause

To have an emotion, both factors are required

(Adrenaline Shot & Bridge Studies)

Persistent Issues in the Psychology of Emotion

The Brain and Emotion

The amygdala.– Responsible for assessing threat. – Damage to the amygdala results in abnormality to process

fear. Left prefrontal cortex

– Involved in motivation to approach others.– Damage to this area results in loss of joy.

Right prefrontal cortex – Involved in withdrawal and escape. – Damage to the area results in excessive mania and euphoria.

Hormones and Emotion

When experiencing an intense emotion, 2 hormones are released.– Epinephrine– Norepinephrine

Results in increased alertness and arousal. At high levels, it can create the sensation of

being out of control emotionally.

Detecting Deception

Deception cues

Do “lie detectors” really work?

Polygraph – Device that records the graphs of many measures of physical arousal; often called a “lie detector” really an arousal detector

Detecting Emotions: Does the Body Lie?

Polygraph testing- autonomic nervous system arousal.

Typical measures:– Galvanic Skin Response– Pulse, blood pressure– Breathing– Fidgeting

Polygraph Tests

Empirical support is weak and conflicting.

Test is inadmissible in most courts.

It is illegal to use for most job screening.

Many government agencies continue to use for screening.

Attributions and Emotions

Perceptions and attributions are involved in emotions.

How one reacts to an event depends on how he or she explains it.– For example, how one reacts to being ignored

or winning the silver instead of the gold medal.

Philosophy of life is also influential.

The Rules of Emotional Regulation

Display Rules– When, where, and how emotions are to be expressed or

when they should be squelched.

Body Language– The nonverbal signals of body movement, posture and

gaze that people constantly express.

Emotion Work.– Acting out an emotion we do not feel or trying to create

the right emotion for the occasion.

Expressiveness

In North America women:– Smile more than men.– Gaze at listeners more.– Have more emotionally expressive faces.– Use more expressive body movements.– Touch others more.– Acknowledge weakness and emotions more.

Compare to women, men only express anger to strangers more.

Emotion Work and Gender.

Women work hard at appearing warm, happy and making sure others are happy.

Men work hard at persuading others they are stern, aggressive and unemotional.

Why?– Gender roles and status.

Why are you attending college?

Motivation – All processes involved in starting, directing, and maintaining physical and psychological activities

Chapter 12Chapter 12Motivation: What Makes Us Motivation: What Makes Us

Act as We Do?Act as We Do?

How Psychologists Use the Concept of Motivation

Connects observable behavior to internal states

Accounts for variability in behavior

Explains perseverance despite adversity

Relates biology to behavior

Types of Motivation

Drive – Biologically instigated motivation

(Homeostasis)

Motive – Internal mechanism that directs behavior (learned rather that biologically based)

-(example: incentives)

Current findings on “Weight”

Research suggests that heavy people are no more and no less emotionally disturbed than average weight people.

Heaviness is not always caused by overeating. Identical twins weigh and gain weight similarly. The complexity of mechanisms governing appetite

and weight explains why “appetite suppressing” drugs fail in the long run.

Biology vs. Culture & Learning?

set point: metabolism, biological mechanism, genetic influence Cultural beliefs? (social class, ethnicity, historical changes) What is attractive?

Eating & Motivation

“Ideal vs. Real” Body Image Which image is ideal for your sex? Which comes closest to your own body?

The Environment and Obesity

Environmental factors related to weight gain:– Increased abundance of low-cost, high fat meals.– eating high calorie food on the run– energy saving devices– The speed and conveniences of driving – The preference for watching television or videos instead of

exercising.

Eating Disorders

Some Scary Eating Disorder Stats:

-42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner.

-81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.

-51% of 9 and 10 year old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet.

-Obesity -Anorexia & Bulimia

Influences on Eating Disorders

Presence of extremely slim television stars. Biological set points which conflict with cultural

standard. Conflict between desire to achieve and perception

of parent’s messages about a “woman’s place.” Increase in male responsiveness to cultural

expectations may be related to their desire to be more “manly.”

The Psychology of Love

The need for affiliation– The motive to associate with other people, as by

seeking friends, companionship, or love.

Predictors of love.– Proximity– Similarity

The Competent Animal: Motives to Achieve

(achievement motivation: TAT) Persistent, superior students, prefer moderately

difficult tasks (& tasks that rely on effort not luck) fear of failure, need feedback on performance

The Importance of Goals

Goals improve motivation when:– The goal is specific– The goal is challenging but achievable– The goal is framed in terms of approach goals

instead of avoidance goals Approach goals = getting what is wanted. Avoidance goals = avoiding unpleasant experiences.

Expectations and Self efficacy

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Self-Efficacy– belief that one is capable

of producing desired results

Theories of Motivation

Cognitive theories• Social learning theory

• Locus of control• Internal vs. External

“Those who buy lottery tickets and smoke cigarettes have an external locus of control.”

Why?

Maslow’s Humanistic Theory

Needs hierarchy –

The notion that needs occur in priority order

Social Comparison & Procrastination

We seek information about performance

(appearance, success, possessions, etc.)

Procrastination: opposite of motivation

-rationalization

-self-handicapping

-dangerous system/future problems