Emotion and Motivation Samuel R. Mathews, Ph.D. The Department of Psychology The University of West Florida.

Emotion and Motivation

Samuel R. Mathews, Ph.D.

The Department of Psychology

The University of West Florida

Elements of Emotion

• Physiological arousal (heart rate, blushing, sweating, etc)

• Subjective experiences/feelings (rage, elation, sadness, etc)

Elements of Emotion

• Cognitive interpretations (blaming another, recognizing the object of desire)

• Behavioral expressions (crying, smiling, gazing longingly

Emotion and the Species

• Emotions have survival value and have evolved to support organism in its environment:

– Recognition of threats, attraction, etc– Signals to presence of problems and

opportunities

Emotion and the Species

• Wide range of individual differences within the species:

– emotional responsiveness,

– interpretation, and

– expression (e.g. grieving patterns and responses differ by tradition and culture)

Basic emotions recognizable across many different cultures

• Sadness

• Fear

• Anger

• Disgust

• Contempt

• Happiness

• Surprise

Processes of Emotions

• Fast-response cycle– Largely unconscious– Relies largely on the limbic system of the

brain (largely “reflex” response)– Tends to be linked to survival reactions

grounded in evolution but learning does impact reaction (habituation)

Processes of Emotions

• Conscious response cycle– Largely conscious and slower to respond– Relies on cerebral cortex (learned

associations and decision-making processes)

Processes of Emotions

• Arousal and performance– Inverted “U” in arousal and performance

relationship• Easy tasks are performed better with higher

arousal• Moderately challenging tasks performed better with

moderate level of arousal• More challenging tasks performed better with lower

levels of arousal.

Theories of Emotion• Major theories have several elements:

– Emotionally salient stimulus– Physiological reaction (arousal)– Cognitive appraisal– Emotional response

Theories of Emotion

• James-Lange Theory: – StimulusPhysiological ArousalBehavioral

ResponseEmotional response– “I see a bear, I am running away from the

bear, therefore I am afraid.”

Theories of Emotion

• Cannon-Bard Theory– StimulusEmotional Response

Physiological ArousalBehavioral Response– “I see the bear, I am afraid of the bear

therefore I will run.”

Theories of Emotion

• Schachter & Singer introduced the concept of appraisal

• Cognitive Appraisal Theory– Stimulus Cognitive Appraisal (how does it

affect us?)Decide how to cope– “I see a bear. Is the bear posing a threat? If

yes, run. If not, get the camera.”

Theories of Emotion

• Debate is still active:– Are emotion and cognition separate systems?

• Izard (1993) & Zajonc (1984) argue that they are• Lazarus (1991) argues they are linked

– Emotional functions that are largely inaccessible to consciousness—Izard & Zajonc

– Emotional functions that emerge from more controlled processes—Lazarus

Motivation Mental processes that

select, initiate, direct, and sustain our behaviors

• Links behaviors with inferred internal states (e.g. someone who is drinking water must be thirsty and want water);

Motivation

• Motivation is related to biologically based “drives”

• Fight • Flight• Food• Reproduction

Intrinsic—Extrinsic motivation• Intrinsic Motivation

– motive for some behavior originates in preferences of the individual;

– the action is its own reward;

• Extrinsic Motivation– Motive for some behavior is based on external

reinforcement– Reinforcement is contingent on some

behavior

• Typically some combination of both are present

Maslow’s Need Hierarchy—Motivation

• Maslow’s Need Hierarchy– Physiological (food, water, air, shelter)– Safety (protection from threats)– Love (nurturing caregivers)– Esteem (sense of satisfaction with one’s self)– Self Actualization (peak performance,

realizing one’s highest level of existence)