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CHAPTER8Motivation and EmotionSoaring with AngelsPROLOGUERICHARD AND I HAD BEEN BEST ever had. At the time we had the argument,the word gay meant lightheartedFRIENDS since our paths first crossed atCentral High School in Sioux City, Iowa. and cheerful, so the word never came upEven then, Richard was extraordinary. He in our heated exchange.was good-looking and liked by everyone. He “What do you mean, you haven’t toldmaintained almost a straight-A average in her!?”his classes. In our senior year, he was“I don’t need to tell her about the past,”elected student body president. (To be perfectlyhonest, he beat me in the race for “That’s bull, Richard,” I shouted. “ThisRichard insisted.student body president.) And his talent as a woman loves you and if you don’t tell herdiver had attracted the attention of college about your homosexual urges, then youswimming coaches. Coming from a family of are marrying her under false pretenses.”very modest means, Richard hoped for an “I do not have those feelings anymore!”athletic scholarship to attend college. He got Richard yelled back.one: The University of Arkansas awarded “If that’s true, then tell her!” I demanded.him a four-year athletic scholarship.But it wasn’t true, of course. AlthoughRichard met Becky when they were Richard would not admit it to himself, hefreshmen at the University of Arkansas. had only become adept at suppressing hisThey seemed like a good match. Becky was sexual attraction to other men. At the timesmart, pretty, athletic, and had a wonderful we had that argument, I was still the onlysense of humor. They were also both person who knew that Richard harboredCatholic, which greatly pleased Becky’s what he called “homosexual urges.”parents. So it came as no surprise when Richard had first told me when we wereRichard and Becky announced their plans juniors in high school. I was stunned. Butto marry after graduating. But, in retrospect,I can’t help thinking that Richard’s want to feel the way he did. In fact, he feltRichard was also adamant that he did nottiming was deliberate when he asked me, ashamed and guilty. Back then, beingin front of Becky, to be his best man. homosexual carried a much greater social“You’re sure you want to marry this stigma than it does today.guy?” I half-jokingly asked Becky.So when Richard and I were still in high“Only if he takes nationals on the threemeterboard,” Becky quipped. As it turned secretly send him to a psychologist for aschool, we scraped up enough money toout, Richard did place third on the threemeterboard the following spring at the quick “cure,” Richard’s troubling feelingsfew sessions. Despite our naive hopes for anational collegiate swimming competition. remained. When he got to the UniversityThree months before their wedding, of Arkansas, Richard saw a counselor on aRichard and I had the only argument we’ve regular basis. After months of counseling,>Chapter Outline• Prologue: Soaring with Angels• Introduction: Motivation andEmotion• Motivational Concepts andTheories• Biological Motivation: Hungerand EatingCRITICAL THINKING: Has EvolutionProgrammed Us to Overeat?FOCUS ON NEUROSCIENCE:Dopamine Receptors and Obesity• Human SexualityFOCUS ON NEUROSCIENCE:Romantic Love and the BrainCULTURE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR:Evolution and Mate Preferences• Psychological Needs asMotivators• EmotionCRITICAL THINKING: Are WomenReally More Emotional Than Men?FOCUS ON NEUROSCIENCE:Emotions and the BrainCRITICAL THINKING: Emotion inNonhuman Animals: LaughingRats, Silly Elephants, and SmilingDolphins?• Theories of Emotion: ExplainingEmotion• Closing ThoughtsENHANCING WELL-BEING WITHPSYCHOLOGY: Turning Your Goalsinto Reality• Chapter Review317