Crash Course Psychology Worksheet | 17 - The Power of Motivation
- Grades
- Grades 10–12, High School
- File type
- Microsoft Word
- Editable
- Yes
- Subject
- Social Studies, Psychology
- Topic
- Crash Course Worksheet, Crash Course Video
- Resource types
- Worksheets & Printables, Worksheets
- Editable
- Yes
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In the classroom
Teaching tips & learning objectives
Learning objectives
Define motivation and identify the four theoretical perspectives psychologists use to explain it: evolutionary, drive reduction, optimal arousal, and belonging
Explain drive reduction theory, including the concepts of homeostasis and incentives
Explain optimal arousal theory and how it differs from drive reduction theory
Summarize the Minnesota Hunger Experiments and describe the psychological and social effects of starvation they revealed
Connect the case of Aron Ralston's survival to the psychological forces of hunger, thirst, and belonging discussed in the episode
Teaching tips
Have students complete the sheet while watching the linked video, pausing at natural breaks between the four motivation theories
Use question 15's personal-reflection prompt as a class discussion starter after the video ends, since it asks students to connect the content to their own experience
Distribute the answer key afterward for self-checking, or use it to prep discussion talking points before class
Pair with other numbered worksheets from the same episode series to build a fuller unit, since the title identifies this as episode 17 in a numbered set
Skills covered
Video-based note-taking — students extract and record definitions and theories directly from a spoken video source in response to guided questions.
Psychological theory comparison — students distinguish drive reduction theory, optimal arousal theory, and evolutionary and belonging-based explanations of motivation.
Case-study analysis — students summarize the Minnesota Hunger Experiments and connect real-world case studies (Aron Ralston) to abstract motivational concepts.
Reflective writing — the closing question asks students to apply the concept of belonging-driven motivation to their own experience.
Good to know
Questions teachers ask about this resource
What did the Minnesota Hunger Experiments reveal about the psychological effects of starvation?
Participants became obsessed with food, lost interest in sex and social activities, and grew irritable, anxious, and depressed; the study also showed how frustrating one need (hunger) led to the decline of another, the need to belong, as participants withdrew from each other.
How does optimal arousal theory differ from drive reduction theory as presented here?
Drive reduction theory holds that a psychological need compels us to reduce that need and restore homeostasis, while optimal arousal theory holds that people are instead motivated to maintain a balance between stimulation and relaxation, avoiding both boredom and stress.
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Resource details
Concepts & topics
Core concepts
Core concepts
Drive reduction theory
Optimal arousal theory
Homeostasis and incentives
Need to belong
Topics
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