Which theory proposes that external stimuli can serve as motives for behavior?

Which theory proposes that external stimuli can serve as motives for behavior?

• A. Extrinsic Motivation
• B. Incentive Theory
• C. Intrinsic Motivation
• D. Facial Feedback Hypothesis

Answer: (B)

External incentives pull behavior by offering rewards or avoiding punishments. Incentive theory holds that these external stimuli act as motives, shaping what people do to gain positive outcomes or steer away from negative ones. This explains everyday actions like working for money, studying to earn good grades, or following rules to dodge penalties—where the payoff outside the action drives the choice. Intrinsic motivation, by contrast, comes from internal interest or enjoyment, not from external rewards, so it wouldn’t fit the idea of external stimuli serving as motives. The facial feedback hypothesis is about how facial expressions can influence emotions, not about what motivates behavior with external consequences. And while extrinsic motivation refers to behavior driven by external factors, the theory that specifically emphasizes external incentives as the motive force is incentive theory.

External incentives pull behavior by offering rewards or avoiding punishments. Incentive theory holds that these external stimuli act as motives, shaping what people do to gain positive outcomes or steer away from negative ones. This explains everyday actions like working for money, studying to earn good grades, or following rules to dodge penalties—where the payoff outside the action drives the choice.

Intrinsic motivation, by contrast, comes from internal interest or enjoyment, not from external rewards, so it wouldn’t fit the idea of external stimuli serving as motives. The facial feedback hypothesis is about how facial expressions can influence emotions, not about what motivates behavior with external consequences. And while extrinsic motivation refers to behavior driven by external factors, the theory that specifically emphasizes external incentives as the motive force is incentive theory.