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Essentials of Psychology
Benjamin B Lahey, University of Chicago

Motivation and Emotion


achievement motivation  The psychological need in humans for success.
angiotensin  A substance in the blood that signals the hypothalamus that the body needs water.
antidiuretic hormone (ADH)  A hormone produced by the pituitary that causes the kidneys to conserve water in the body by reabsorbing it from the urine.
emotion  Positive or negative feelings generally in reaction to stimuli that are accompanied by physiological arousal and related behavior.
extrinsic motivation  Human motives activated by external rewards.
fear of success  The fear of the consequences of success, particularly the envy of others.
Freud's instinct theory  The theory that aggression is caused by an inborn aggressive instinct.
frustration-aggression theory  The theory that aggression is a natural reaction to the frustration of important motives.
glucagon  A hormone produced by the islets of Langerhans that causes the liver to release sugar into the bloodstream.
homeostatic mechanisms  Internal body mechanisms that sense biological imbalances and stimulate actions to restore the proper balance.
hyperphagia  Excessive overeating that results from the destruction of the satiety center of the hypothalamus.
hypothalamus  The part of the forebrain involved with motives, emotions, and the functions of the autonomic nervous system.
incentives  External cues that activate motives.
insulin  A hormone produced by the islets of Langerhans that reduces the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.
intrinsic motivation  Human motives stimulated by the inherent nature of the activity or its natural consequences.
lateral hypothalamus  A portion of the hypothalamus involved in feeling hungry and starting to eat (the feeding center).
Maslow's hierarchy of motives  The concept that more basic needs must be met before higher-level motives become active.
motivation  The internal state or condition that activates and gives direction to our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
motive for affiliation  The need to be with other people and to have personal relationships.
novel stimulation  New or changed experiences.
optimal level of arousal  The apparent human need for a comfortable level of stimulation, achieved by acting in ways that increase or decrease it.
paraventricular nucleus  A part of the hypothalamus that plays a role in the motive of hunger by regulating the level of blood sugar.
pituitary gland  The body's master gland, located near the bottom of the brain, whose hormones help regulate the activity of the other glands in the endocrine system.
primary motives  Human motives for things that are necessary for survival, such as food, water, and warmth.
psychological motives  Motives related to the individual's happiness and well-being, but not to survival.
self-actualization  According to Maslow, the seldomly reached full result of the inner-directed drive of humans to grow, improve, and use their potential to the fullest.
ventromedial hypothalamus  A part of the hypothalamus involved in inhibiting eating when sufficient food has been consumed (the satiety center).
Yerkes-Dodson law  A law stating that effective performance is more likely if the level of arousal is suitable for the activity.