Final answer:
The expectancy theory states that individuals are motivated by their expectations of achieving desired outcomes, particularly if they highly value the reward associated with those outcomes. It suggests that with greater self-efficacy comes a higher likelihood of engaging in challenging tasks and persistence toward goal achievement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The expectancy theory of motivation, largely developed by Victor Vroom in the 1960s, states that people are motivated by their expectations of achieving desired outcomes. That is, individuals are more likely to engage in a behavior if they believe that doing so will lead to a desired outcome and that the outcome will be rewarding to them.
The expectancy theory has three key components: expectancy or the belief that one's effort will lead to the desired performance, instrumentality or the belief that a person will receive a reward if the performance expectation is met, and valence, or the value an individual places on the rewards of an outcome.
From the options provided, the one that aligns with the expectancy theory is that people are motivated by their expectations of achieving desired outcomes. According to this theory, when individuals have a high sense of self-efficacy, they are more likely to take on challenging tasks and persistently strive to reach their goals, largely because they believe in their capacity to succeed.
The theory contrasts with other motivational theories such as Theory X and Theory Y, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and the concept of operant conditioning which suggest that people are motivated by factors such as their biological drives, social contexts, personal satisfaction (intrinsic motivation), or to receive rewards from others (extrinsic motivation).