PSY 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Leptin, Vasodilation, Tachycardia
Document Summary
Motivation: set of factors that activate, direct and maintain behavior towards a goal, revealed by direct action, motivation is inferred by behavior, no action is taken without motivation. Animals have fixed action responses, unlearned and found in almost all members of the species. Birds do certain things to attract mates. Motivation begins with a physiological need that elicits a drive toward behavior that will satisfy the need. Once that need is met, a state of balance is restored and motivation decreases. Homeostasis: a body"s tendency to maintain a relatively stable state, such as a constant internal temperature. Parasympathetic nervous system: activates vegetative/maintenance functions, vasodilation, sweating. Sympathetic nervous system: activates/arouses the body, vasoconstriction, shivering. Animals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal that maximizes their performance. During overstimulation, animals minimize their level attempting to maintain optimal arousal levels. Motivation results from external stimuli that pull the organism in certain directions.
