Module 10: Motivation

Description: This module examines biological mechanisms underlying motivated behaviors including temperature regulation, thirst, & hunger. Students will explore homeostasis & drive-reduction theory, analyze hypothalamic control of regulatory behaviors, & evaluate hormonal & neural signals regulating eating. The module covers mechanisms of temperature regulation, osmotic & hypovolemic thirst, & hunger signals including leptin, ghrelin, & insulin.

Why This Module is Important: Understanding motivation neuroscience is essential for counseling, clinical, & health psychology, providing biological foundations for addressing eating disorders, weight management, & regulatory dysfunction.

For counselors, this module provides:

• Understanding of biological factors underlying eating disorders & obesity for informed treatment.
• Knowledge of homeostatic mechanisms relevant to discussing weight loss interventions including semaglutides.
• Insight into how biological drives interact with cultural factors in motivated behaviors.
• Framework for addressing client concerns about appetite, metabolism, & weight regulation.

For other psychology professionals, this module supports:

• Research into motivational systems & regulatory disorders.
• Clinical assessment of eating disorders & metabolic conditions.
• Health psychology applications for weight management interventions.
• Understanding of how biological & cultural factors interact in motivated behaviors.

Module Learning Objectives: By the end of this module students will be able to…

• MLO1: Identify homeostatic mechanisms, brain structures controlling motivated behaviors (hypothalamus, preoptic area), & physiological signals for temperature, thirst, & hunger regulation. (CLO1, ULO5)
• MLO2: Analyze drive-reduction theory & comparator models of homeostasis, evaluate mechanisms of temperature regulation in endotherms, & explain osmotic versus hypovolemic thirst. (CLO2, CLO3, ULO5)
• MLO3: Evaluate hormonal regulation of hunger (leptin, ghrelin, insulin), critically assess interventions for eating disorders & obesity including semaglutides, & examine ethical implications of pharmacological appetite control. (CLO2, CLO4, ULO5)

Test Yourself: If you truly “know” this material then you will be able to…

• Describe homeostasis as maintaining set points through comparator models, identify hypothalamus role in temperature & hunger regulation, distinguish preoptic area & posterior hypothalamus functions, & explain osmotic thirst (cellular dehydration) versus hypovolemic thirst (blood volume loss). (MLO1)
• Analyze drive-reduction theory where deviations create drive states, explain endothermic responses (shivering, perspiration, vasoconstriction/dilation), & evaluate how the hypothalamus integrates temperature information from skin sensors & its own receptors. (MLO2)
• Evaluate hormonal signals including leptin, ghrelin, & insulin, assess semaglutides as GLP-1 agonists, & critically examine safety & ethical considerations of pharmacological weight loss interventions. (MLO3)