The document provides an overview of motivational and memory acquisition theories, along with an assessment task that involves applying these theories to behaviors and memory systems. It outlines required competencies, including the use of information technology, evaluation of psychological issues, and effective communication. Additionally, it discusses emotion, memory disorders such as amnesia, and the significance of understanding motivation in psychological practice.

1. Motivational Theories/Memory Acquisition
Overview
Write a 2-part assessment in which you apply motivational
theory and memory acquisition theory to behaviors. This
assessment should be a minimum of 4 pages long.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will
demonstrate your proficiency in the following course
competencies and assessment criteria:
Show More
•
Competency 1: Use information technology and tools to identify
information in the domain of biological psychology.
▪
Describe potential changes from human design to consider if
building a learning and memory system for a robot.
•
Competency 2: Employ critical and creative thinking to evaluate
problems, conflicts, and unresolved issues in the study of
biological psychology.
▪
Describe memory acquisition.
•
Competency 4: Assess the important theories, paradigms,
research findings, and conclusions in biological psychology.
▪

2. Identify two common behaviors and hypothesize what might
have prompted the behaviors from the perspective of each
motivational theory.
▪
Discuss how people apply these different theories to influence
behavior.
•
Competency 6: Communicate effectively in a variety of formats.
▪
Write coherently to support a central idea with correct
grammar, usage, and mechanics as expected of a
psychology professional.
▪
Use APA style and format.
Context
Motivational Theories
Motivation refers to the set of factors that initiate, sustain, and
direct behaviors. Several motivation theories, including instinct
theory, drive theory, incentive theory, and arousal theory have
been widely applied in psychological practice where they are

3. linked to other theories. For example, recent attachment theory
studies examined the circumstances surrounding motivation and
behavior in adolescents. In medical practice, drive theory is
combined with neuroendocrine theory to understand the
relationship between homeostasis and hunger. Understanding
the neurobiology of hunger and appetite may ultimately lead to
treatments for obesity and eating disorders.
Show More
Emotion
Emotion is an increase or decrease in physiological activity that
is accompanied by feelings that are characteristic of the emotion
and often accompanied by a characteristic behavior or facial
expression. According to the James-Lange theory, emotional
experience results from the physiological arousal that precedes
it, and different emotions are the result of different patterns of
arousal. According to Schachter and Singer's cognitive theory,
physiological arousal contributes only
to the emotion's intensity, while the identity of the emotion is
based on the cognitive assessment of the situation.
Memory Acquisition
Anterograde amnesia refers to impairment in forming new
memories, while retrograde amnesia is the inability to remember
events prior to impairment. Anterograde and retrograde amnesia
are common learning and memory disorders. They have been
linked to damage in certain brain structures, and the severity of
amnesia has been linked to the amount of structural damage
within the brain. The brain tissues hypothetically responsible
for memory and learning include the hippocampus and the
amygdala. All memories are not stored in a single area, nor is
each memory distributed throughout the brain. Rather, different
memories are located in different cortical areas where the

4. information they are based on was processed.
Questions To Consider
To deepen your understanding, you are encouraged to consider
the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a
work associate, an interested friend, or a member of the
business community.
•
What are your thoughts on the connection between motivation
and self-esteem? Is motivation affected by a self- schema? Is
motivation affected by self-efficacy?
•
What are your thoughts on the accuracy of found repressed
memories from years ago? Are they accurate? Why or why not?
•
Resources
•
Suggested Resources
The following optional resources are provided to support you in
completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For
additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and
Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your
courseroom.
Library Resources
The following e-books or articles from the Capella University

5. Library are linked directly in this course:
West, R., & Brown, J. (2013).
Theory of addiction
(2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Tappatà, L. (2013).
Beyond well-being: The fascination of risk and of the new
psychological addictions
.
Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Price, H. O. (Ed.). (2011).
Internet addiction
. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.
Show More
Course Library Guide
A Capella University library guide has been created specifically
for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the
resources in the
PSYC-FP4310 – Biological Psychology Library Guide
to help direct your research.
Internet Resources
Access the following resources by clicking the links provided.
Please note that URLs change frequently. Permissions for the
following links have been either granted or deemed appropriate
for educational use at the time of course publication.
•
Demand Media. (2011).

6. What is aggression: Aggressive behavior?
Retrieved from http://www.essortment.com/ aggression-
aggressive-behavior-36000.html
•
Rocho do Amaral, J., & Martins de Oliveira, J. (n.d.).
Limbic system: The center of emotions
. Retrieved from http://www.healing-arts.org/n-r-limbic.htm
▪
This site provides an illustrated overview of the neural circuitry
and brain areas contained in the limbic system.
•
Myers, C. E. (2006).
Confabulation
. Memory Loss & the Brain . Retrieved from
http://www.memorylossonline.com/ glossary/confabulation.html
▪
This Web site describes confabulation and its causes. It also
provides useful information on memory related injuries and
diseases including Alzheimer's. This site is maintained by
Rutgers University as part of its Memory Disorders Project.
Bookstore Resources
The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and
assessments in this course and are not required. Unless noted
otherwise, these materials are available for purchase from the
Capella University Bookstore
. When searching the bookstore, be sure to look for the Course
ID with the specific –FP (FlexPath) course designation.
•
Garrett, B. (2015). Brain & behavior: An introduction to

7. biological psychology (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
•
▪
Chapter 12, "Learning and Memory," explores how and where
memories are stored in the brain.
•
▪
Chapter 6, "Motivation and the Regulation of Internal States,"
covers how homeostasis and drive theory are
key to understanding physiological motivation.
•
▪
Chapter 8, "Emotion and Health," examines how the brain and
the rest of the body participate in emotion.
Assessment Instructions
This assessment has two parts: Part A and Part B. Please
complete this assessment in one document. The assessment
should be a minimum of 4 pages, excluding the title page and
reference page. Use the Capella library to research the material

8. and support your responses.
Part A
It is sometimes difficult to conceptualize how the different
motivational theories are distinct, such as drive theory,
incentive theory, arousal theory, and brain state theory. Also,
neuroscientists across the country are using a wide range of
approaches to define the nature of consciousness when
philosophers have been debating the nature of consciousness for
millennia. This part of the assessment will help you approach
issues from each of the theoretical approaches.
For this part of the assessment, complete the following:
•
Identify two common behaviors.
•
Hypothesize what might have prompted the behaviors from the
perspective of each motivational theory (drive,
incentive, arousal, brain state).
•
Discuss how others, such as advertisers, parents, managers, and
so on, apply these different theories to influence
behavior.
For each behavior, include the following headings in your
paper. Write a 150–300-word response for each theory under
each heading:

9. Behavior 1:
•
How Drive Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Incentive Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Arousal Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Brain State Theory Prompted This Behavior.
Behavior 2:
•
How Drive Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Incentive Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Arousal Theory Prompted This Behavior.
•
How Brain State Theory Prompted This Behavior.
Part B
Memory acquisition involves different areas of the cortex
depending on the type of information presented. Our ability to
remember events and how to perform tasks affects our ability to
work, interact with others, and understand the world around us.
For this part of the assessment, assess the memory's
contribution to how we perceive the world by addressing the
following:
1.
Outline memory acquisition.
TEMPLATE_PSYC-FP4310_00003: 2015-07-10
15:13:02.656454
2.
Consider you are building an electronic learning and memory
system for a robot. Is there anything that you would change
from the human design? Why or why not?

10. Additional Requirements
•
Written Communication: Written communication should be free
of errors that detract from the overall message.
•
APA Formatting: Resources and citations should be formatted
according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
•
Font and Font Size: Times New Roman, 12-point font, and
double spaced. Use Microsoft Word to complete the
assessment.
•
Length: Write a minimum of 4 pages, excluding the title page
and reference