BasicB Motivational Concepts HungerH SexualS Motivation AffiliationA and Achievement Erik Snyder/Getty Images Snyder/Getty Erik MMyersPsy11e_Ch11.inddyersPsy11e_Ch11.indd 418418 111/17/141/17/14 99:43:43 AAMM WHAT DRIVES US: HUNGER, SEX, FRIENDSHIP, AND ACHIEVEMENT ow well I [DM] remember the response to my first discussion question in a new introductory psychology class. Several hands rose, along with one left foot. The foot belonged to Chris Klein, who was the Hunlikeliest person to have made it to that class. At birth, Chris suffered oxygen deprivation that required 40 minutes of CPR. “One doctor wanted to let him go,” recalls his mother. The result was severe cerebral palsy. With damage to the brain area that con- trols muscle movement, Chris is unable to control his constantly moving hands (on which he wears protective padded gloves). He cannot feed, dress, or care for himself. And he cannot speak. But what Chris does have is a keen mind and a mobile left foot. With that blessed foot he controls the joystick on his motorized wheelchair. Using his big toe, he can type sentences, which his communication system can store, e-mail, or speak. And Chris has motivation, lots of motivation. When Chris was a high school student in suburban Chicago, three teachers doubted he would be able to leave home for college. Yet he persisted, and, with lots of support, he ventured out to my college called Hope. Five years later, as his left foot drove him across the stage to receive his diploma, his admiring classmates honored his achievement with a spontaneous standing ovation. Today, Chris is an inspirational speaker for schools, churches, and community events, giving “a voice to those that have none, and a helping hand to those with disabilities.” He is president of the United States Society of Augmentative Alterna- tive Communication. He is writing a book, Lessons from the Big Toe. And he has found love and married. Although few of us face Chris Klein’s challenges, we all seek to direct our energy in ways that willwill produceproduce satisfactionsatisfaction and success. We are pushedpushed byby biologicalbiological motives, such as hungerhunger andand sex.sex And(Modules we are 34 pulled and 35). by socialAnd we motives, are pulled such by as socialaffili- ationmotives, and such achievement. as affiliation Chris and Klein’s achievement brute will (Module to live, 36). learn, Chris and Klein’s love highlight brute will the to essencelive, learn, of andour loveown highlightmotivations the, essencewhich energize of our own and motivations direct our ,lives. which energize and directLets our begin lives. by looking at how psychologists have approached the study of motivation.Module 33 examines how psychologists have approached the study of motivation. 419 MMyersPsy11e_Ch11.inddyersPsy11e_Ch11.indd 419419 111/17/141/17/14 99:43:43 AAMM 420 MODULE 33: BASIC MOTIVATIONAL CONCEPTS Basic Motivational Concepts 33-111-1 How do psychologists define motivation? From what perspectives do they view motivated behavior? Psychologists define motivation as a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior. Our motivations arise from the interplay between nature (the bodily “push”) and nur- ture (the “pulls” from our thought processes and culture). Consider four perspectives for viewing motivated behaviors: • Instinct theory (now replaced by the evolutionary perspective) focuses on genetically predisposed behaviors. • Drive - reduction theory focuses on how we respond to our inner pushes. • Arousal theory focuses on finding the right level of stimulation. Katie Green/MLIVE.COM/Landov Katie • And Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs focuses on the priority of some needs over others. A motivated man: Chris Klein To see and hear Chris presenting his story, visit tinyurl.com/ChrisPsychStudent. Instincts and Evolutionary Psychology Early in the twentieth century, as Charles Darwin’s influence grew, it became fash- ionable to classify all sorts of behaviors as instincts. If people criticized themselves, it was because of their “self - abasement instinct.” If they boasted, it reflected their “self- assertion instinct.” After scanning 500 books, one sociologist compiled a list of 5759 supposed human instincts! Before long, this instinct-naming fad collapsed under its own weight. Rather than explaining human behaviors, the early instinct theorists were simply naming them. It was like “explaining” a bright child’s low grades by labeling the child an “underachiever.” To name a behavior is not to explain it. To qualify as an instinct, a complex behavior must have a fixed pattern throughout motivation a need or desire that ener- a species and be unlearned (Tinbergen, 1951). Such behaviors are common in other gizes and directs behavior. species (think(recall ofimprinting imprinting in in birds birds and and the the return return of of salmon salmon to to theirtheir birthplace).birthplace). Some instinct a complex behavior that is human behaviors, such as infants’ innate reflexes for rooting and sucking, also exhibit rigidly patterned throughout a species unlearned fixed patterns, but many more are directed by both physiological needs and and is unlearned. psychological wants. Instinct theory failed to explain most human motives, but its underlying assump- tion continues in evolutionary psychology: Genes do predispose some species-typical behavior. WePsychologists saw this in mightChapter apply 7’s discussion this perspective, of the limits for thatexample, biological to explain predisposi- our humantions place similarities, on conditioning. animals’ Andbiological we will predispositions, see this in later and discussions the influence of how of evolution onmight our influence phobias, our our helping phobias, behaviors, our helping and behaviors, our romantic and ourattractions. romantic attractions. Same motive, different wiring The more complex the nervous system, the more adaptable the organism. Both humans and weaverbirds satisfy their need for shelter in ways that reflect their inherited capacities. Human be- havior is flexible; we can learn whatever skills we need to build a house. The bird’s behavior pattern is fixed; it can build only this kind of nest. James Warwick/Science Source Annika Erickson/Blend Images/Getty Images Images/Getty Erickson/Blend Annika MMyersPsy11e_Ch11.inddyersPsy11e_Ch11.indd 420420 111/17/141/17/14 99:43:43 AAMM MODULE 33: BASIC MOTIVATIONAL CONCEPTS 421 Drives and Incentives When the original instinct theory of motivation collapsed, it was replaced by drive- reduction theory—the idea that a physiological need (such as for food or water) creates an aroused state that drives the organism to reduce the need. With few exceptions, when a physiological need increases, so does a psychological drive—an aroused, motivated state. The physiological aim of drive reduction is homeostasis—the maintenance of a steady internal state. An example of homeostasis (literally “staying the same”) is the body’s temperature - regulation system, which works like a room’s thermostat. Both systems oper- ate through feedback loops: Sensors feed room temperature to a control device. If the room’s temperature cools, the control device switches on the furnace. Likewise, if our body’s temperature cools, our blood vessels constrict to conserve warmth, and we feel driven to put on more clothes or seek a warmer environment (FIGURE 11.133.1). ▼ FIGURE 11.133.1 Drive -reduction theory Drive-reduction Need Drive Drive-reducing motivation arises from homeostasis—an organism’s (food, water) (hunger, thirst) behaviors natural tendency to maintain a steady internal state. (eating, drinking) Thus, if we are water deprived, our thirst drives us to drink and to restore the body’s normal state. Not only are we pushed by our need to reduce drives, we also are pulled by incentives— positive or negative environmental stimuli that lure or repel us. This is one way our indi- vidual learning histories influence our motives. Depending on our learning, the aroma of good food, whether fresh roasted peanuts or toasted ants, can motivate our behavior. So can the sight of those we find attractive or threatening. drive - reduction theory the idea that When there is both a need and an incentive, we feel strongly driven. The food- a physiological need creates an aroused deprived person who smells pizza baking feels a strong hunger drive and the baking tension state (a drive) that motivates an pizza becomes a compelling incentive. For each motive, we can therefore ask, “How is it organism to satisfy the need. pushed by our inborn physiological needs and pulled by incentives in the environment?” homeostasis a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body Optimum Arousal chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level. We are much more than homeostatic systems, however. Some motivated behaviors actually increase arousal. Well - fed animals will leave their shelter to explore and gain incentive a positive or negative environ- mental stimulus that motivates behavior. information, seemingly in the absence of any need- based drive. Curiosity drives mon- keys to monkey around trying to figure out how to unlock a latch that opens nothing or how to open a window that allows them to see outside their room (Butler, 1954). It drives the 9-month - old infant to investigate every accessible corner of the house. It drives the scientists whose work this text discusses. And it drives explorers and adventurers such as George Mallory. Asked why