Class notes
Class notes PSYC 101: Motivation and Hierarchy of Needs
- Course
- PSYC 101
- Institution
- Boise State University
Lecture notes detailing the concept of motivation, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and the Yerkes-Dodson/Arousal Theory.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
PSYCH 101 Lecture NotesBoise State University
Motivation and Needs
Motivation: why do we do the things we do?
-
Drive (or lack thereof) to complete a task or get something done
-
Varies from person to person
-
Biological motivations (eating, breathing, drinking, etc) to maintain homeostasis explain
more human behavior when in poverty or under threat
-
When these needs are threatened, people are more motivated to go to extreme lengths
to maintain safety and homeostasis. Biological motivations can drive us to do very
irrational needs when we are extremely desperate, even overruling personal values.
-
Drive reduction theory: a lot of what people do is to satisfy a biological need
-
We are also motivated to do extra stuff, like artistic things or helping our community.
Abraham Maslow, a humanistic psychologist, developed a hierarchy of needs that suggests that
we need to fulfill basic needs first before moving on to extra stuff:
bottom (most basic) to top (most extra)
-
Self actualization: desire to become the most that one can be, what you can give back
-
Esteem: respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength, freedom
-
Love and belonging: friends, family, intimacy, connection
-
Safety needs: security, employment, resources, health, property, wealth
-
Physiological needs: air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, reproduction
Yerkes-Dodson/Arousal Theory: we seek out and are motivated to achieve an optimal level of
arousal (between boredom and stress)
-
When our arousal (attention and interest, challenge) is of a middle ground (between
boredom and stress), we perform better at accomplishing tasks.
-
We are looking for an optimal amount of challenge so we want to try new things and feel
accomplished.
We are motivated towards tasks that allow us:
-
Autonomy: we have some control over what we do.
-
Value: there is an understood value that applies to us, or there is a personal connection
to our lives.
-
Competence: we enjoy doing things we’re good at.
The
need to belong
motivates us because the resulting
connections make us happy and
healthy!
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller JazIda. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
60434 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now