Extrinsic motivation is best described as?

• A. A Desire To Perform A Behavior To Receive Promised Rewards Or Avoid Punishment
• B. A Desire To Perform For Its Own Sake
• C. External Rewards For Compliance
• D. Peer Pressure

Answer: (A)

Extrinsic motivation means doing something to get an external outcome. The description that fits best is acting to receive promised rewards or to avoid punishment, because the driving force is outside the person and tied to external consequences. This contrasts with intrinsic motivation, where the activity itself is rewarding and the behavior is done for personal interest or satisfaction.

For example, a student studies not just to enjoy learning, but to earn a good grade or to avoid punishment from a parent or teacher. That illustrates extrinsic motivation.

The other options don’t capture the full idea. Doing something for its own sake is intrinsic motivation. Focusing on external rewards for compliance describes external rewards but doesn’t necessarily include avoidance of punishment and other external consequences that drive behavior. Peer pressure is a social influence that can lead to extrinsically motivated behavior, but it isn’t the definition of extrinsic motivation itself.