Motivation
60 flashcards covering Motivation for the MCAT Chem / Phys / Psych / Soc section.
Motivation is the internal and external forces that drive people to act, guiding their behaviors toward specific goals. It explains why individuals pursue certain activities, like studying for an exam or maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and how factors such as needs, rewards, or personal values influence these choices. At its core, motivation helps us understand human behavior, making it a fundamental concept in psychology for analyzing decision-making and persistence.
On the MCAT, motivation appears in the Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations section, often through questions on theories like Maslow's hierarchy or intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. Expect multiple-choice items that test applications to real-world scenarios, such as health behaviors or learning processes, with common traps like confusing similar theories or overlooking environmental influences. Focus on key factors like drives, incentives, and cultural impacts to answer effectively.
A concrete tip: Review sample questions to distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic examples.
Terms (60)
- 01
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
A psychological theory that organizes human needs into a pyramid, starting with basic physiological requirements and progressing to self-actualization, where motivation arises from fulfilling lower levels before higher ones.
- 02
Intrinsic Motivation
Motivation driven by internal factors, such as personal enjoyment or satisfaction, rather than external rewards, leading to more sustained engagement in activities.
- 03
Extrinsic Motivation
Motivation stemming from external rewards or punishments, like money or grades, which can influence behavior but may not foster long-term interest.
- 04
Drive-Reduction Theory
A theory that explains motivation as a response to internal drives caused by imbalances, such as hunger, where the goal is to reduce these drives to restore homeostasis.
- 05
Incentive Theory
A motivation theory that focuses on external stimuli, like rewards or punishments, pulling individuals toward behaviors that lead to positive outcomes.
- 06
Arousal Theory
A theory suggesting that people are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal, seeking stimulation when bored and avoiding it when overwhelmed.
- 07
Expectancy-Value Theory
A theory of motivation where an individual's effort is based on their expectation of success and the value they place on the outcome, influencing achievement in tasks.
- 08
Self-Determination Theory
A theory that posits motivation is enhanced when basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met, leading to more intrinsic behaviors.
- 09
Goal-Setting Theory
A theory stating that specific, challenging goals improve motivation and performance by providing clear direction and fostering commitment.
- 10
Self-Efficacy
An individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations, which strongly influences motivation, effort, and persistence in tasks.
- 11
Locus of Control
The extent to which people believe they control events in their lives, with an internal locus motivating action through personal responsibility and an external one leading to passivity.
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Achievement Motivation
The drive to excel or succeed, often measured by one's orientation toward accomplishing goals, influenced by personality and environmental factors.
- 13
Need for Achievement
A personality trait where individuals seek success in competitive situations, motivated by the desire for excellence and recognition.
- 14
Fear of Failure
An anxiety-driven motivation where the avoidance of failure, rather than pursuit of success, guides behavior, potentially leading to risk aversion.
- 15
Flow State
A psychological state of complete absorption in an activity, where high motivation and skill lead to optimal performance and enjoyment.
- 16
Yerkes-Dodson Law
A principle that describes an inverted-U relationship between arousal and performance, where moderate arousal maximizes motivation and efficiency, but extremes hinder it.
- 17
Homeostasis
The body's tendency to maintain a stable internal environment, serving as a biological basis for motivation in drives like hunger or thirst.
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Primary Drives
Innate biological needs, such as hunger or thirst, that motivate behavior to ensure survival and are essential for understanding basic human motivation.
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Secondary Drives
Learned drives, like money or social status, that stem from primary drives and motivate behavior through association with rewards.
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Operant Conditioning
A learning process where motivation is shaped by consequences, such as rewards reinforcing behaviors or punishments discouraging them.
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Classical Conditioning
A learning mechanism where motivation for a behavior is linked to a previously neutral stimulus through repeated association, as in Pavlov's experiments.
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Positive Reinforcement
A motivational tool where a desirable stimulus is added after a behavior to increase its likelihood of recurring, commonly used in behavior modification.
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Negative Reinforcement
A process that motivates behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus, such as taking pain medication to alleviate discomfort, thereby encouraging the action.
- 24
Punishment
A motivational strategy that decreases the likelihood of a behavior by introducing an aversive consequence or removing a positive one.
- 25
Equity Theory
A theory of motivation in social contexts where individuals are driven to maintain fairness in relationships by comparing their inputs and outcomes to others.
- 26
Social Cognitive Theory
A theory that explains motivation through observational learning and self-efficacy, emphasizing how people learn behaviors from role models.
- 27
Bandura's Self-Efficacy Concept
Within social cognitive theory, the idea that perceived self-efficacy motivates individuals to take on challenges and persist despite obstacles.
- 28
Grit
A personality trait involving passion and perseverance for long-term goals, which sustains motivation over time in the face of adversity.
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Growth Mindset
A belief that abilities can be developed through effort, which motivates learning and resilience by viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.
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Fixed Mindset
A belief that abilities are innate and unchangeable, which can demotivate individuals by leading them to avoid challenges due to fear of failure.
- 31
Procrastination
A motivational barrier where individuals delay tasks despite potential negative consequences, often due to poor self-regulation or fear of failure.
- 32
Self-Regulation
The ability to control impulses and maintain motivation toward goals, involving monitoring progress and adjusting behaviors as needed.
- 33
Overjustification Effect
A phenomenon where external rewards undermine intrinsic motivation for an activity, as the reward shifts focus from internal enjoyment to the incentive.
- 34
Cognitive Dissonance
An uncomfortable mental state that motivates individuals to change behaviors or attitudes to reduce inconsistency between beliefs and actions.
- 35
Motivational Interviewing
A counseling approach that enhances motivation for change by exploring and resolving ambivalence, often used in health behavior contexts.
- 36
Stages of Change Model
A model outlining phases of motivation for behavior change, from precontemplation to maintenance, helping predict and support progress.
- 37
Hypothalamus in Motivation
A brain structure that regulates motivation through controlling drives like hunger and thirst by monitoring internal states and triggering responses.
- 38
Dopamine Reward System
A neural pathway involving dopamine that motivates behavior by associating rewards with pleasure, influencing habits like addiction or goal pursuit.
- 39
Serotonin and Motivation
A neurotransmitter that affects motivation by regulating mood and impulse control, with imbalances potentially leading to reduced drive or depression.
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Hunger Drive
A primary biological motivation triggered by low blood sugar or empty stomach, compelling individuals to seek food for survival.
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Thirst Drive
A physiological motivation arising from dehydration, prompting behaviors to consume fluids and maintain bodily balance.
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Sexual Motivation
A drive influenced by hormones and social factors that motivates reproductive behaviors, varying by context and individual differences.
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Pain Avoidance
A motivational response where individuals are driven to escape or prevent pain, serving as a key survival mechanism.
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Curiosity Drive
An intrinsic motivation that pushes individuals to explore novel stimuli, fostering learning and adaptation in changing environments.
- 45
Altruism
Motivation to help others without expecting personal gain, often rooted in empathy or social norms, as seen in prosocial behaviors.
- 46
Prosocial Behavior
Actions motivated by the desire to benefit others, such as sharing or cooperating, which are influenced by social and emotional factors.
- 47
Group Dynamics and Motivation
How group interactions, like peer pressure or team goals, motivate individual behavior and enhance collective performance.
- 48
Leadership Styles
Different approaches leaders use to motivate followers, such as transformational leadership that inspires through vision and empowerment.
- 49
Organizational Motivation
Factors within workplaces that drive employee performance, including incentives and culture, affecting productivity and satisfaction.
- 50
Expectation Effects
Motivational influences where anticipated outcomes shape behavior, as in the Pygmalion effect where higher expectations lead to better performance.
- 51
Placebo Effect in Motivation
A phenomenon where belief in a treatment motivates perceived improvements, demonstrating the power of expectation on behavior.
- 52
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A motivation cycle where an individual's expectations lead to behaviors that make those expectations come true, often unconsciously.
- 53
Attribution Theory
A theory explaining how people attribute causes to their successes or failures, which motivates future actions based on internal or external factors.
- 54
Fundamental Attribution Error
A bias where individuals overestimate internal motivations in others while underestimating situational factors, affecting social interactions.
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Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Rewards
A comparison where intrinsic rewards come from within, like satisfaction, and extrinsic ones from outside, like praise, influencing motivation differently.
- 56
Motivation in Learning Theories
How theories like constructivism use motivation to explain knowledge acquisition, emphasizing engagement and curiosity in education.
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Behavioral Theories of Motivation
Approaches that view motivation as learned responses to stimuli, focusing on reinforcement to shape and maintain behaviors.
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Humanistic Theories of Motivation
Theories, like those from Maslow, that emphasize self-actualization and personal growth as key drivers of human behavior.
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Biological Theories of Motivation
Explanations that link motivation to physiological processes, such as hormones and brain structures, underlying drives like hunger.
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Cognitive Theories of Motivation
Perspectives that focus on mental processes, like decision-making and goals, as the basis for motivated behavior and achievement.