How is extrinsic motivation characterized?

Extrinsic motivation is characterized by the influence of external rewards and recognition rather than internal satisfaction or personal interests. This type of motivation arises from factors outside an individual, such as praise, grades, money, or other tangible incentives designed to encourage specific behaviors or performance outcomes.

For example, when a student studies hard to earn a good grade or to receive approval from a parent or teacher, they are motivated by external rewards rather than an intrinsic desire to learn or master the subject matter. This demonstrates how extrinsic motivators can effectively drive behavior by offering clear, visible rewards that provide motivation to achieve certain goals.

The other characterizations, while relevant to different forms of motivation, do not describe extrinsic motivation specifically since they focus on internal aspects such as personal interests and individual satisfaction, which are hallmarks of intrinsic motivation instead.