The theory that behavior is motivated by external goals or rewards that pull us toward them.

• A. Motivation
• B. Lewin's Motivational Conflicts Theory
• C. Incentive Theory
• D. Arousal Theory

Answer: (C)

External rewards pull us toward actions, which is the idea behind Incentive Theory. This view says behavior is driven by the desire to obtain desirable outcomes—such as money, grades, praise, or status—rather than only by internal needs or drives. The incentive acts as a pull that directs our choices and effort toward achieving those rewards. For example, studying to earn a scholarship or working to receive a bonus shows how goals or rewards attract behavior. This differs from broader notions of motivation that don’t specify external rewards, from Lewin’s focus on how conflicting motives are resolved, and from Arousal Theory, which centers on seeking an optimal level of excitement rather than pursuing external incentives.