Motivation: A Biobehavioural Approach

by Roderick Wong

• ISBN13: 9780521567275
• ISBN10: 0521567270
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-07-03
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Motivation: A Biobehavioural Approach provides the reader with an understanding of why an individual exhibits certain behaviours, and what the causes of these actions are. Roderick Wong presents an analysis of motivated behaviour such as sexual activity, parental behaviour, food selection, fear or aggression, from a biological perspective, each chapter focussing on individual systems underlying specific motivational states that result in motivated acts. The similarities, differences and integration between these motivational systems are discussed throughout. Using a framework derived from research and theory from animal behaviour and comparative psychology, this book analyses relevant issues in human motivation such as mate choice, nepotism, attachment and independence, sensation-seeking, obesity and parent-offspring conflict. It will be particularly useful for undergraduate students in psychology or behavioural science taking courses in motivation and emotion, comparative psychology, animal behaviour or biological psychology.

Table of Contents

Preface and acknowlegements	vi
Introduction and perspective	1	(12)
Mating and reproductive activities	13	(46)
Parental/maternal activities	59	(30)
Feeding activities	89	(36)
Food selection	125	(23)
Drinking activities	148	(16)
Stimulus seeking and exploratory activities	164	(23)
Aversive motivation systems: fear, frustration and aggression	187	(22)
Social motivation: attachment and altruism	209	(12)
Conclusions and retrospective	221	(12)
References	233	(38)
Author index	271	(6)
Subject index	277