Deck 11: D: Motivation and Emotion

Question 1

Research into the sexual response cycle of men and women has revealed some surprising similarities and differences.Describe some of these similarities and differences.

Answer 1

A good answer will include the following key points.
- Similarities
* Both men and women experience the four basic stages of the cycle (excitement,plateau,orgasm,and resolution).
* Men and women appear to experience orgasms in a very similar way.
- Differences
* The sexual response cycle is much more variable for women than men.
* The duration and experiences of each stage differ between men and women.
* Men usually experience a single orgasm followed by a refractory period,a time period during which erection and orgasm are not physically possible.In contrast,some women experience multiple orgasms without a refractory period.

Question 2

Research suggests that many emotions are expressed in the same way across cultures.However,there are also many differences in the display and interpretation of emotional expressions,especially between Western and Asian cultures.Compare and contrast the similarities and differences in display rules and interpreting emotions.

Answer 2

A good answer will include the following key points.
- Display rules refer to the unwritten expectations we have regarding when it is appropriate to show a certain emotion.
- An example of a display rule is the expression of embarrassment-Westerners tend to blush while Japanese tend to smile.
- Another example of a display rule involves low-intensity expressions.If a Westerner sees someone half-smiling,they assume that they are not as happy.If a Japanese person sees the same expression,they assume they are hiding their happiness.
- Asian cultures have also been found to use more context when interpreting emotions-they will look to those around the individual to help determine the emotional state.However,North Americans tend to only look at the single individual,not taking into account those around them.

Question 3

The "bottomless bowl" study described in your textbook is one example of creative ways researchers have investigated the factors that influence how much we eat.Describe this study,the results,and what concept can explain the results.

Answer 3

A good answer will include the following key points.
- Volunteers were asked to eat soup until they had enough.
- In the experimental condition,a tube continued to fill the soup bowl from the bottom so that it could not be detected by the volunteers.
- The individuals in the experimental group stopped eating after consuming,on average,over 70% more than those participants who knowingly refilled their bowls.
- Despite eating more food,these participants did not feel any more satiated,nor did they believe they had eaten any more than the individuals in the control group.
- Unit bias,the tendency to assume that the unit of sale or portioning is an appropriate amount to consume,helps to explain the results of this experiment.Individuals tend to consume whatever the unit of food is,despite the actual size (e.g. ,if a 'single serving' is large,people will consume the entire thing even if it's substantially larger than a 'healthy' portion).