Which of the following exemplifies extrinsically motivated behavior?
A. babysitting your younger brother in order to receive an hourly fee
B. dating an abusive partner because you believe you don’t deserve good treatment
C. jerking your hand back from a hot burner
D. mowing your elderly neighbor’s lawn for free because he can’t do it himself
Answer: A. babysitting your younger brother in order to receive an hourly fee
Extrinsic motivation is when one acts mainly due to the presence of an external reward, or trying to avoid a punishment, instead of engaging in the activity for pleasure at that moment, or in pursuit of that specific goal. In the situation described, the experience of babysitting your younger brother just for an hourly accumulation of a sum is an obvious example of being extrinsically motivated. The person in freelancing does not get involved in it just for a simple reason conjuring curiosity or enjoyment, and the motivation is monetary payment. For instance, earnings, promotions, and good grades would be examples of external motivation at work, and weight loss resultant of exercise would be another one. The goal that moves extrinsically-oriented actions is almost always bringing something that is different from the activity itself outside .
Leave a Reply