Prenatal Development

In this video I discuss prenatal development from conception until birth. This can be divided into the germinal stage, embryonic stage, and fetal stage. Conception occurs when a sperm cell and egg cell join to create a zygote, which then travels down the fallopian tube and attaches to the uterus. This then develops into an embryo with a heart and … Read More

Delay of Gratification & Ironic Effects of Punishment

In this video I introduce the concept of delay of gratification and the famous Marshmallow Test. Mischel, Shoda, and Rodriguez found that the ability to delay gratification at age 4 was associated with higher social competence, coping skills, and even SAT scores later in life. Next I consider ironic effects of punishment including the idea that different levels of threats … Read More

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

In this video I describe one way of organizing the many other motivations that we face: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Abraham Maslow proposed that motivations could be categorized and then those categories could be arranged into a hierarchy of importance, meaning that lower-order motivations needed to be met before dealing with higher-order needs. Maslow’s hierarchy begins with physiological needs, followed … Read More

Masters & Johnson’s Human Sexual Response Cycle

In this video I briefly describe the work of William Masters and Virginia Johnson in identifying 4 distinct phases of the human sexual response cycle: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Like these videos? Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel to see future videos! Have questions or topics you’d like to see covered in a future video? Let me know … Read More

Sexual Motivation

In this video I introduce the basics of sexual motivation and briefly describe hormones involved. Next I discuss some important differences between humans and other species when it comes to sexual motivation, including estrus and hidden fertility. I explain how these may help us to understand certain behaviors and jealousy in relationships. Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel to … Read More

Understanding Obesity

In this video I consider evolutionary explanations for the modern struggle with obesity. I describe how obesity is defined using the calculation of body mass index or BMI and consider potential problems with this simple calculation. I also discuss set point theory, energy expenditure, and the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945 and its possible role in gene expression and incidence … Read More

Introduction to Eating Disorders

In this video I introduce 3 eating disorders: bulimia nervosa, binge–eating disorder, and anorexia nervosa. I briefly describe the symptoms of these disorders and how they may arise from complex interactions of biological factors like genes or hormones and environmental factors like stress, the family environment, and social & occupational pressures. Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel to see … Read More

Hunger Signaling

In this video I describe how hunger is turned on (the orexigenic signal) and off (the anorexigenic signal) and how hormones and other cues influence motivation to eat. The lateral hypothalamus is involved in turning on hunger, while the ventromedial hypothalamus is involved in signaling satiety. Other hormones such as ghrelin, leptin, and insulin also influence motivation to eat, in … Read More

Arousal Theory, Yerkes-Dodson Law, & Flow

In this video I describe arousal theory, the Yerkes–Dodson law, and flow. Arousal theory suggests that there is an optimal level of arousal that we are motivated to maintain and that we will seek out activities that serve to raise or lower our arousal in order to reach this optimal level. The Yerkes–Dodson law refers to the idea that there … Read More