The course textbook defines "motivation" as "a process within a person or an animal that causes it to move towards a goal or away from an unpleasant situation." It continues to examine the four central areas of human motivation. These motives include the motives to eat, love, for sex, and to achieve. This chapter also explains how a motive can be either intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the pursuit of something for internal purposes: for its own sake. Extrinsic motivation is the pursuit of external purposes: so impress people or appear a certain way. I plan to thoroughly summarize Motivation and shine a bit of light upon why people do the things that they do.
In the past, researchers believed people who were overweight were that way because they had the tendency to overeat or because they were suffering from emotional stress. After extensive controlled studies researchers came up with the set point as an explanation as to why people are naturally overweight or thinner. An individual's set point is their weight, give or take ten pounds, when they are not dieting or over eating. It is a biological mechanism that is genetically influenced. Their basal metabolism rate works with their fat cells and hormones to create this weight range. Fat cells secrete a protein called leptin which is caused by a gene called obese; ob for short. When peoples leptin levels are normal they eat just enough to maintain their weight. Despite this scientific discovery, increasing a person's leptin levels does not help them lose weight.
Scientists have a health debate over being overweight. Some believe that excess weight can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Others believe those are problems caused by not being physically fit. Researchers believe there are five changes in the environment that are to blame for the rise in weight and obesity; fast food, soft drinks, decline in exercise, increased portion size, and highly varied foods.
