Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Thermostat, Ultimate Human, Allostasis

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Mark Holden

Document Summary

Homeostasis: internal physiological equilibrium (balance) that the body strives to maintain: sense changes, send signal to control center, control center activates response. Control center is like a thermostat, with a set point: response restores equilibrium. Response can be physiological or learned behaviour. E. g. hot sweating or seek shade/cool drink. Drive theory: disrupted homeostasis drives (internal tension) motivated to act in ways that reduce the tension (drive: drives help maintain homeostasis, e. g. tissue deficits drive to eat. Behaviourist" view of motivation: internal state pushes you to do x (nothing to do with want, desire, etc) Satisfying a drive = reinforcement do it again: allostasis = motivation in anticipation of future needs. Environmental factor pulls you to do x: you want the incentive, therefore you do x. E. g. getting good grade = incentive to study: not necessarily biological need, but a desire. E. g. dessert when full; drugs (withdrawal vs. incentive) Some behaviours (e. g. eating) can be explained by drive and/or incentive theory.