PSYCH 100 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Jean Piaget, Puberty, Amygdala
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Section#1 motivation: a motive is a specific need or desire, such as hunger, thirst, or achievement, that prompts goal-directed behavior. The idea that motivation is based on instincts was popular in the early 20th century but since has fallen out of favor. Instincts are inborn, inflexible, goal-directed behaviors that are characteristic of an entire species: drive-reduction theory states that motivated behavior is aimed at reducing a state of bodily tension or arousal and returning the organism to homeostasis. A drive is a state of tension or arousal that motivates behavior. Homeostasis is a state of balance and stability in which the organism functions effectively. The yerkes dodson law states that there is an optimal level of arousal for the best performance of any task: the more complex the task, the lower the level of arousal that can be tolerated before performance deteriorates.
