Lecture 14

Motivation

1. Motivation
1. Definition
2. Motivation and Emotion
3. Homeostasis
4. Motivational Sequence
5. Motivational Conflict
2. Human Needs
1. Physiological Needs
2. Psychological Needs
3. Maslow's Hierarchy
3. Motivation and the Brain
1. Central Drive System
2. Hypothalamus
3. Hunger (if time permits)

Overview

The limbic system enables organisms to approach stimuli that have previously brought pleasure and avoid stimuli that have previously brought pain. The fields of motivation, emotion, learning, and memory study these approach-avoidance tendencies. We began by discussing motivation, noting that it cannot be observed directly but instead must be inferred. We then defined four terms that create a motivational sequence, and considered three motivational conflicts. Finally, we discussed a variety of human needs, as well as structures in the brain that govern motivated behavior.

Specifics

• Know 4 variables used to infer motivation, and why we need to infer it.
• How are motivation and emotion related, and what is the hedonic principle?
• What is meant by homeostasis, and what is its role in motivation?
• Distinguish drives, incentives, motives, and needs, and know how they give rise to a motivational sequence.
• Be familiar with 3 forms of motivational conflict, and know how approach-avoidance conflicts are affected by distance from the goal.
• Identify 6 human motives (3 we share with all organisms and 3 which may be uniquely human).
• Identify the neurological structure that most clearly governs motivated behavior, and know why its involvement is important.