What term describes the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way?

• A. Instinct Theory
• B. Drive-Reduction Theory
• C. Motivation
• D. Instincts

Answer: (C)

Motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. It covers the internal drives, needs, desires, goals, and incentives that energize and direct our behavior. Instincts or instinct theory refer to innate, automatic patterns of behavior; drive-reduction theory explains behavior as actions aimed at reducing a physiological need and its arousal. Motivation, by contrast, encompasses all those driving forces, making it the best fit for describing why someone acts in a certain way.