Question
A drive-reduction theorist was taking a walk when he came across a hiker resting against the base of a tree. How would the theorist explain the hiker's nap? Use terms from this course.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A drive-reduction theorist, who focuses on understanding behavior through the lens of biological drives and the motivation to reduce states of tension, would interpret the hiker's nap in terms of homeostasis and the drive to maintain a balanced state.
Here’s how the theorist might explain the hiker’s behavior:
1. **Biological Drives**: The hiker may have been experiencing fatigue as a biological drive, which arises from the body’s need for rest and recuperation. The drive-reduction theory posits that physiological needs create internal tensions (drives), motivating individuals to take actions to restore balance.
2. **Homeostasis**: By napping, the hiker is likely attempting to restore homeostasis—a stable internal state. After exerting energy while hiking, the body's need for rest becomes pronounced. The nap serves to reduce the drive generated by tiredness, helping the individual return to a balanced state.
3. **Incentive Motivation**: The environment—the comfortable setting of resting against a tree—may serve as an incentive that further encourages the hiker to take a nap. Concerns such as safety, comfort, and relaxation can enhance the motivation to fulfill the resting drive.
4. **Reduction of Drive**: The act of napping is a direct response to the drive to rest. By engaging in this behavior, the hiker reduces the tension caused by physical fatigue, thereby achieving relief from that drive.
In summary, the drive-reduction theorist would conclude that the hiker's nap is a biological and motivational response stemming from the need to maintain homeostasis by satisfying the drive for rest. By sleeping against the tree, the hiker effectively reduces the internal tension caused by fatigue, illustrating key components of drive-reduction theory.
Here’s how the theorist might explain the hiker’s behavior:
1. **Biological Drives**: The hiker may have been experiencing fatigue as a biological drive, which arises from the body’s need for rest and recuperation. The drive-reduction theory posits that physiological needs create internal tensions (drives), motivating individuals to take actions to restore balance.
2. **Homeostasis**: By napping, the hiker is likely attempting to restore homeostasis—a stable internal state. After exerting energy while hiking, the body's need for rest becomes pronounced. The nap serves to reduce the drive generated by tiredness, helping the individual return to a balanced state.
3. **Incentive Motivation**: The environment—the comfortable setting of resting against a tree—may serve as an incentive that further encourages the hiker to take a nap. Concerns such as safety, comfort, and relaxation can enhance the motivation to fulfill the resting drive.
4. **Reduction of Drive**: The act of napping is a direct response to the drive to rest. By engaging in this behavior, the hiker reduces the tension caused by physical fatigue, thereby achieving relief from that drive.
In summary, the drive-reduction theorist would conclude that the hiker's nap is a biological and motivational response stemming from the need to maintain homeostasis by satisfying the drive for rest. By sleeping against the tree, the hiker effectively reduces the internal tension caused by fatigue, illustrating key components of drive-reduction theory.