Summary for Motivation and Emotion
Motivation
Motivation to engage in a given behaviour can come from internal and/or external factors. Multiple theories have been put forward regarding motivation. More biologically oriented theories deal with the ways that instincts and the need to maintain bodily homeostasis motivate behaviour. Bandura postulated that our sense of self-efficacy motivates behaviours, and there are a number of theories that focus on a variety of social motives. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a model that shows the relationship among multiple motives that range from lower-level physiological needs to the very high level of self-actualization.
Hunger and Eating
Hunger and satiety are highly regulated processes that result in a person maintaining a fairly stable weight that is resistant to change. When more calories are consumed than expended, a person will store excess energy as fat. Hunger and satiety are influenced by the hypothalamus and other signals within the body. Sociocultural factors that emphasize thinness as a beauty ideal and a genetic predisposition contribute to the development of eating disorders in many young females, though eating disorders span ages and genders.
Sexual Behaviour
The hypothalamus and structures of the limbic system are important in sexual behaviour and motivation. There is evidence to suggest that our motivation to engage in sexual behaviour and our ability to do so are related, but separate, processes. Alfred Kinsey conducted large-scale survey research that demonstrated the incredible diversity of human sexuality. William Masters and Virginia Johnson observed individuals engaging in sexual behaviour in developing their concept of the sexual response cycle. While often confused, sexual orientation and gender identity are related, but distinct, concepts.
Emotion
Emotions are subjective experiences that consist of physiological arousal and cognitive appraisal. Various theories have been put forward to explain our emotional experiences. The James-Lange theory asserts that emotions arise as a function of physiological arousal. The Cannon-Bard theory maintains that emotional experience occurs simultaneous to and independent of physiological arousal. The Schachter-Singer two-factor theory suggests that physiological arousal receives cognitive labels as a function of the relevant context and that these two factors together result in an emotional experience.
The limbic system is the brain’s emotional circuit, which includes the amygdala and the hippocampus. Both of these structures are implicated in playing a role in normal emotional processing as well as in psychological mood and anxiety disorders. Increased amygdala activity is associated with learning to fear, and it is seen in individuals who are at risk for or suffering from mood disorders. The volume of the hippocampus has been shown to be reduced in individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
The ability to produce and recognize facial expressions of emotions seems to be universal regardless of cultural background. However, there are cultural display rules which influence how often and under what circumstances various emotions can be expressed. Tone of voice and body language also serve as a means by which we communicate information about our emotional states.
Here at MUN
Many of MUN’s research faculty members use self-report questionnaires to assess people’s emotions, such as depressive symptomology and various forms of anxiety (e.g., state and trait anxiety, math anxiety, and test anxiety). Current psychology faculty members such as Drs. Mark Hebert and Jacqueline Blundell and retired faculty members (e.g., Drs. Charles Malsbury, Virginia Grant, and Robert Adamec) have found that a single injection of Rapamycin can permanently reduce the body weight set point in rats. Dr. Jacqueline Carter-Major, a clinical psychologist in the Psychology Department, runs the Memorial University Eating Behaviours Laboratory, where her and her students study the factors that contribute to and maintain eating disorders. Dr. David Wilson’s research on black-capped chickadees has demonstrated that information on motivational states, aggression, and individual identities are present in their vocal signals.