Question 1

After watching an episode of the Dr. Phil TV show, Shanae wonders why anyone would want to air their interpersonal dirty laundry in front of 70 million viewers. Shanae is most likely wondering about the ________ of Dr. Phil's guests.

Accepted Answer

Shanae is questioning why Dr. Phil's guests would choose to expose their personal problems on a national platform, which likely speaks to their motivation behind appearing on the show. The other options (instincts, self-esteem, intelligence) do not necessarily relate to the guests' decision to appear on the show.

Question 2

A thermostat in your house is a good analogy for

Accepted Answer

A thermostat in your house works to maintain a relatively constant temperature within a certain range, just like how homeostasis works in the body to maintain stable internal conditions despite changes in external environment or physiological processes. It does not directly relate to drive, instinct, or emotion, which are more related to motivation and behavior rather than physiological regulation.

Question 3

Paige is an expert at golf and is bored by the thought of the upcoming tournament. Mary is pretty good at golf, and is somewhat excited, but not overly anxious about the tournament. Sara has only recently learned to play, but has very high expectations and is really nervous about the tournament. Jenna is also a beginner but she does not expect to play well. According to optimum arousal theory, who will perform the best?

Accepted Answer

Optimum arousal theory suggests that performance is best when individuals experience moderate levels of anxiety or arousal. Paige, being an expert, may be under-aroused and thus not perform to her potential. Sara, on the other hand, is likely over-aroused and her anxiety may interfere with her performance. Jenna may not have high expectations, but this does not guarantee good performance. Mary, having moderate levels of arousal, is likely to perform the best out of the given options.

Question 4

Darrin is a good piano player. If he is alone, he gets distracted and makes mistakes. At a recital with strangers, he also makes mistakes. His best performance is typically when family and friends are nearby. This is an example of the

Accepted Answer

This is an example of the Yerkes-Dodson law, which states that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a certain point. Beyond that point, performance decreases as arousal becomes too high. In Darrin's case, being alone or in front of strangers does not provide enough arousal, while being in front of family and friends may provide just the right amount for optimal performance.

Question 5

According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, optimum performance is achieved when one is

Accepted Answer

The Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that an optimal level of arousal is necessary to perform effectively on a task. This means that performance is best when an individual is moderately anxious, not highly anxious or highly relaxed. When an individual is highly anxious, their arousal level is too high, causing them to be easily distracted and make mistakes. When an individual is highly relaxed, their arousal level is too low, causing them to lack motivation and effort. Therefore, the best choice is C, moderately anxious.

Question 6

Cannon and Washburn measured stomach contractions with a balloon. They found that when subjects reported

Accepted Answer

Cannon and Washburn found that when subjects reported hunger, their stomach was contracting.

Question 7

A need is to a physiological state as a drive is to a(n) ________ state.

Accepted Answer

A drive is a psychological state that arises when the body needs or desires something, such as food or water. This differs from a need, which is a basic physiological state necessary for survival.

Question 8

You stayed up all night to study for a math exam. After the test, you returned to your dorm room and slept for seven hours. Your sleeping behavior was regulated by the body's tendency to maintain

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis refers to the body's tendency to maintain stable, balanced internal conditions. This includes regulating sleep patterns to ensure that the body gets enough rest to function properly. In this scenario, the body's need for sleep was maintained through the seven hour period of rest after staying up all night to study.

Question 9

Dr. Know-it-All hosts a TV talk show. One of his guests, Joe College, complains of his intense annoyance with people who talk on their cell phones while driving. Joe asks Dr. Know-it-All to explain why he reacts so strongly to this type of situation. Dr. Know-it-All immediately pronounces that Joe has an instinct for cell phone irritation. Is Dr. Know-it-All correct to assume that instinct is the cause of Joe's behavior?

Accepted Answer

Instinct is a basic, automatic response to a stimulus that is present in all individuals of a species. While instinct can explain some behavioral responses, such as reflexes and basic survival behaviors, most human behavior is too complex to be explained solely on the basis of instinct. The behavior Joe College is exhibiting is likely a learned response to the annoyance and potential danger of distracted driving.

Question 10

If you have problems with homeostasis, which of the following is most likely to occur?

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis involves maintaining stable internal conditions. If you have problems with homeostasis, your body's responses to changes might be inappropriate, such as breathing getting slower during exercise, which is not a normal response.

Question 11

Whenever Olivia sees a television commercial concerning food, she goes to the kitchen looking for something to eat. If you wanted to study Olivia's behavior, you would most likely conduct research in the area of

Accepted Answer

Olivia's behavior is driven by her desire for food, which is related to motivation. Therefore, studying her behavior would involve researching motivation.

Question 12

The need for salmon to return once a year to the stream where they hatched is best explained by which of the following concepts?

Accepted Answer

Salmon returning to the stream where they hatched is an example of instinct, as it is a natural and automatic behavior that is programmed into their genetic makeup.

Question 13

You just ran a marathon in very hot weather and perspired heavily. According to drive reduction theory, your body will have a(n) ________ for water, which will produce a(n) ________ for water, which will lead to a ________ to get water.

Accepted Answer

According to drive reduction theory, physiological needs create a state of tension or arousal, which motivates individuals to engage in behaviors that satisfy the needs and reduce the tension. In this scenario, the physiological need is for water, which creates a state of tension or arousal (drive) that motivates the individual to seek water. Therefore, the correct sequence is need, drive, and motivation. Choice D is the only option that follows this sequence.

Question 14

When you exercise, you begin breathing more rapidly to provide oxygen to your cells. This increase in breathing is an attempt to restore

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis refers to the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment, and breathing more rapidly during exercise is one way the body tries to maintain stability by providing enough oxygen to cells. Choices A, C, and D are not relevant to this physiological process.

Question 15

Learning to perform a task so well that it becomes automatic is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Overlearning is the process of practicing a skill beyond the point of mastery, so that it becomes automatic and can be performed without conscious effort. This can lead to better performance and retention of the skill. Choices A, B, and C are not related to the concept of overlearning.

Question 16

A major criticism of the drive reduction theory is that

Accepted Answer

The drive reduction theory suggests that people are motivated to engage in behaviors that reduce physiological imbalances or drives. However, this theory fails to account for the fact that people sometimes behave in ways that actually increase their drives (for example, engaging in risky behavior or seeking out novel experiences). Therefore, choice B is the best answer. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect as they do not accurately reflect the criticisms of the drive reduction theory.

Question 17

The hormone cholecystokinin (CCK)

Accepted Answer

Cholecystokinin (CCK) signals you to stop eating. CCK is released by the small intestine in response to the presence of food, especially fats and proteins. It signals the brain to reduce appetite and stop eating.

Question 18

When an infant obtains milk through the act of sucking, the infant satisfies a(an)

Accepted Answer

The act of obtaining milk through sucking satisfies a physiological need for nourishment, making it an example of satisfying a need rather than an instinct or a drive. Although the sucking reflex is involved in the act, it is not the primary motivation behind the behavior.

Question 19

The act of going to the refrigerator because you are hungry best represents a(n)

Accepted Answer

A drive is a strong internal stimulus that motivates an organism to take action to satisfy a need. In this case, the need is hunger, and the drive is the urge to eat.

Question 20

You have not eaten for four days. When you finally have a candy bar, which of the following is most likely to occur? Your ________ will be reduced, but your ________ will not.

Accepted Answer

Your drive will be reduced because the immediate hunger is satisfied, but your need for proper nutrition remains unmet.

Quiz 10: Motivation and Emotion