CHAPTER 2
Components of Motivation
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
1) Explain the biology components of motivation
2) Explain the learning components of motivation
3) Explain the cognitive components of motivation
4) Distinguish between the biological, learning, and cognitive components of motivation.
BIOLOGICAL COMPONENT
A) Origins of Human Brain Design
• Based on the assumption that the human community today is the result of years of evolution, where we are able to adapt to the changes.
B) The example of temperament
• Temperament refers to how we react to the world and how we self regulate ourselves
• Temperament basically looks at how some people are bold in certain situation. On the other hand some people are timid in the same situation.
C) Monozygotic and Dizygotic Twins
• To determine if certain behaviors are cause by genes, monozygotic twins and Dizygotic twins are compared.
• Monozygotic twins are from a division of a single egg. They share the same gender.
• Dizygotic twins are from the fertilization of two different eggs by two different sperm.
D) Approach and Avoidant Motivation: The Behavioral Activation System (BAS) and The Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)
• Gray (1970, 1982) proposed that there are two distinct brain circuits, the BAS and BIS.
• BAS is activated by conditioned signals of reward and non-punishment. When the system is activated, arousal is enhanced, and together they promote increased approach behavior.
• BIS is activated by conditioned signals of punishment and non-reward, as well as novel stimuli
• At times the BAS could be more active than the BIS. At times the BIS is more active than the BAS.
E) The disposition to Experience Pleasure and Punishment
1. The reward pathway (Also called the dopaminergic pathway.
- The existence of the reward pathway indicates, that there is a biological basis for feelings of pleasure