Week 3, Lecture 3
[edit] The motivated and the emotional brain
According to Reeve (2009) when most people think of the brain they automatically think of it carrying out cognitive and intellectual functions, such as thinking and learning. However, while the brain does carrying out cognitive and intellectual functions (the thinking brain), it is also the centre of emotions and motivations – the emotional and motivational brain. I think Reeve made a really important point, as when I think of the brain I first think of it carrying out cognitive and intellectual functions, however, in reality the motivation and emotional brain are just as important. For example if we are completing a video game, such as Mario Kart (thinking brain) we might be doing it because we enjoy the challenge of winning (motivational brain) and the game makes us in a good mood if we win (emotional brain).
To understand brain-based motivational processes, motivational researchers spend their time:
• Investigating how brain structures that are associated with motivational states become activated,
• Understanding how day-to-day events in people’s lives stir biochemical agents into action and
• Mapping out which brain structures are associated with which specific motivational state.
One section of this chapter that I found interesting is that the brain is split into approach versus avoidance structures. For example yes I want to go drinking with my friends –approach (hypothalamus) and no I do not want to go bungy jumping, avoidance (amygdala). The table below outlines the key motivational and emotional brain structures associated with producing approach and avoidance.
Approach Orietated Structures and their Motivational and Emotional States
| Brain Structure |
Associated Motivational or Emotional Experiance |
| Hypothalamus |
Pleasurable, regulates feeding, drinking and mating |
| Medial Forbrain bundle |
Pleasurable, Reinforcement |
| Orbitofrontal cortex |
Processes incentive-related information and options |
| Septal area |
Pleasurable, associated with socioability, sexuality |
| Nuclues accumbens |
Pleasuable, related to reward |
| Anterior cingulate cortex |
Related to Mood and choices |
| Cerebral Cortex |
Plans, goals and future intentions |
| Left Prefrontal cortex |
Approach Motivational and emotional tendencies |
| Medial prefrontal cortex |
responses to learning. Underlies percieved control beliefs and mastery motivation |
Avoidance Orietated Structures and their Motivational and Emotional States
| Brain Structure |
Associated Motivational or Emotional Experiance |
| Right prefrontal cortex |
Withdraw motivational and emotional tendencies |
| Amygdala |
Detecting and responding to threat and danger (fear, anxiety, anger) |
| Hippocampus |
Behavioural Inhibition system |
Tables based on Reeve, J. (2009). Understanding Motivation and Emotion. Unites States of America: Wiley.
[edit] Physiological Needs
Need “Any condition within the person that is essential and necessary for life, growth and well-being.” (Reeve, 2009)
I find the definition of need interesting, because I think some people, even some cultures take an essential need for granted. Some people take shelter or food for granted, while other people struggle for these essential items. I also think in Australia we over use the word ‘need’. I can not count the times when I have walked passed a child, sometimes even an adult, saying I need this toy or I need this game. In today’s society we do take our needs for granted and sometimes we say we need something when it is not necessarily essential.
I really like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I have learnt about this concept in a number of different classes, from law classes to communication to psychology and I think it’s amazing that this concept can be used in a wide variety of fields.
Our bodies consist of two-thirds of water and one thing that I did not know until reading this chapter is that when our water volume falls by approximately 2% we become thirsty. However, dehydration does not occur until a person loses 3% of their water volume. According to Reeve (2009) it is the loss of water, below this optimal homeostatic level, that creates the physiological need of thirst. It is also interesting to note that society tells us that it is recommended that we drink 8 glasses of water a day, however, there is not scientific evidence to support this. As a result in theory people are not necessarily being motivated by their body to drink the optimal amount of water, but by society’s expectations.
In regards to our eating habits, Reeve (2009) states that the environment influences a person’s eating behaviour, from the time of day, to stress to smell. Research also indicates that people generally eat more when they are in the presence of others, compared to when they are alone, often 50% more. I find this statistic interesting, as I always thought that I eat more when I am alone, however when I think about it I would say that when I am generally with someone they push me to eat more, as I do not want to seem ungrateful for the food that I have been given. However, I also think that other factors play a part, for example, I know that some people do not eat much on their first date, as they do not want to put the other person off or some people eat more than they usually would when they are alone and upset.
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