Final answer:
The incentive theory of motivation stresses the influence of external rewards and punishments in shaping behavior. It suggests that our actions are often directed by incentives, which can be understood through examples such as working for monetary gain or supporting a cause.
Step-by-step explanation:
The incentive theory of motivation emphasizes the role of the environment in motivating behavior. Incentives are external factors that can be rewards or punishments, and they influence behavior by providing reasons to pursue or avoid certain actions.
For example, when Carl mows the yard of his elderly neighbor for $20, he is motivated by extrinsic motivation, which arises from external factors - the monetary reward in this case. Likewise, types of incentives such as purposive incentives appeal to someone's concern about a cause, providing motivation by allowing an individual to contribute towards a purpose or goal that they find personally significant.
The drive theory of motivation, another important concept in psychology, describes how deviations from homeostasis create physiological needs. These needs result in psychological drive states that direct behaviors to fulfill those needs and return the system back to homeostasis.