Basics of Motivation by Christian Hombs

Needs, Drives, and Incentives-

AverageJohanson — 2014-04-07 19:44:21 UTC

Need - a psychological feature which arouses an organism to action toward a goal

Drive - an inner urge which stimulates activity or inhibition

Incentive - something which motivates an individual to perform an action

Need v. Drive - Death may result from an unresolved need, while an unresolved drive would not.

Drive v. Incentive - A drive is biologically bases while an incentive is not.

Eating Disorders and Obesity

bhs_wallisca — 2014-04-07 19:47:58 UTC

Reasons for eating disorders may include:

1. thinking that they are fat when they are really skin and bones. (it's like a disease)

2. they may have a fear of weight gain.

3.They don't actually see what they really look like.

4. They ar obsessed with their weight and shape.

Obesity can be explained by set-point. If a persons weight goes way up above their set-point, their appetite decreases or they use up more energy. Their weight then returns back to its set-point.

saul_carvi — 2014-04-07 19:51:20 UTC

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

saul_carvi — 2014-04-07 19:52:54 UTC

In the 1970's, Abraham Maslow suggested that people are motivated by a hierarchy of needs.

According to him, people are motivated to achieve certain needs. Some needs have priority over others. Once the needs in the lower levels are fulfilled one can move on to the higher levels.

This model was based on Maslow's belief that individuals possess a set of motivation systems unrelated to reward or unconcious desires.

Sexual Motivation

AverageJohanson — 2014-04-07 19:57:59 UTC

Studies by Alfred Kinsey during the 1940's show that the sexual practices of those interviewed varied greatly from what was considered normal at the time. More specifically, that people were generally more sexually active than socially acceptable.

The work of Johnson and Masters during the 1960's determined the phases of the human sexual response cycle. The phases are as follows:

The Excitement Phase - Physiological arousal increases quickly. Muscle tension, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate increase. In men, the penis gets erect and the testes swell. In women, the clitoris hardens and swells, the vaginal lips open, and the vagina lubricates.

The Plateau Phase - Physiological arousal continues. In women, the clitoris retracts under the clitoral hood. Men may secrete a small amount of fluid from the penis.

The Orgasm Phase -Physiological arousal peaks. Men ejaculate seminal fluid. Both men and women experience muscular contractions in the pelvic area, along with a sensation of pleasure.

The Resolution Phase - Physiological responses return to normal levels. Men then go through a refractory period which may vary in length, during which they are not responsive to stimulation. The refractory period tends to get longer as men age.

Hunger Motivation

anabelbooz — 2014-04-07 19:58:49 UTC

We eat when we are hungry. We are hungry
when there is food in our stomachs.
We experience hunger through stomach pangs.

A decrease in glucose in our blood results in
hunger. The glucose is monitored by receptors
that send signals to the hypothalamus in our
brain.

The lateral hypothalamus creates the feeling of
hunger. If the lateral hypothalamus (hunger-on switch)
is destroyed, then this leads to not having an interest
in eating and overeating.

The ventromedial hypothalamus depresses hunger.
If the ventromedial (hunger-off switch) is destroyed,
then this leads to never feeling full and not knowing
when to stop eating.

FACTORS IN RESPONSE TO HUNGER:
Countries with hotter climates use more bacteria
inhibiting spices in their foods.

Availability in rich foods: People tend to gain weight when
rich foods are plentiful.

Stress: The increased physiological arousal associated with
stressful situations can stimulate hunger in some people.

anabelbooz — 2014-04-07 20:33:04 UTC