Major Concepts and Behavioral Objectives

CONCEPT I: The Development of Motivational Concepts

Motivation comprises the variables that arouse, sustain, and direct behavior toward the attainment of a goal.

1. Define motivation and discuss its biological basis.

2. Compare and contrast the explanation of motivation in instinctive theories, Freudian theory, drive-reduction theories, and incentive theories.

CONCEPT II: Eating and Weight Control

The cues that motivate us to eat are complex; they issue predominately from the brain, not the stomach or the taste buds.

3. List and discuss the physiological factors involved in the regulation of hunger and eating.

4. Define and compare anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

5. Discuss the various theories of obesity.

6. Discuss the problems people have with weight reduction.

CONCEPT III: Sexual Behavior

Human sexual response is even more complex than eating behavior; it involves external stimuli, hormones, and brain activity.

7. Discuss the role of hormones and biological factors in the sexual behavior of animals and humans, and the role of the brain in human sexual behavior.

8. Describe the sexual response cycle.

9. List and describe the major sexual dysfunctions, and suggest how cognitive factors play a role in sexual behavior.

CONCEPT IV: Stimulus Seeking and Arousal

The concept of an optimal level of arousal suggests that we typically seek moderate levels of cortical stimulation. Different levels of cortical arousal could explain the differences between introverts and extroverts. Unusual motivations-such as those involved in risk taking-are explained by other, more specific theories.

10. Describe the optimum level of arousal theory and the research that supports it.

11. Discuss the opponent process model, which attempts to account for risk taking.

CONCEPT V: Learned Motivation: The Case of Achievement

In addition to physiologically regulated motivations, we have learned motivations-for example, the need for achievement. Learned motivations are acquired in social interactions, and they therefore show culture-specific patterns.

12. Compare and contrast people high in achievement motivation with those low in achievement motivation.

13. Discuss how achievement motivation differs between men and women.