Which theory describes motivation as a response to external stimulus and its rewarding properties?

• A. Maslow's hierarchy
• B. Drive theory
• C. Expectancy theory
• D. Incentive approaches

Answer: (D)

Incentive approaches start from the idea that motivation comes from external rewards in the environment. When a desirable outcome is tied to a behavior, the external stimulus and its rewarding properties push us to act to obtain that reward—money, praise, or a trophy, for example. This view emphasizes how external incentives can strengthen and guide behavior, sometimes even overriding internal urges.

Other theories place the push in different places: drive theory focuses on internal bodily states we want to reduce, such as hunger or thirst; Maslow’s hierarchy frames motivation as climbing a ladder of internal needs from basic survival up to self-actualization; expectancy theory combines beliefs about effort, performance, and valued outcomes, highlighting cognitive expectations rather than simply the pull of rewards. Since the question centers on motivation as a response to external stimuli and their rewarding properties, incentive approaches fit best.