What type of motivation is driven by the pleasure of the activity itself?

• A. Extrinsic Motivation
• B. Facial Feedback Hypothesis
• C. Incentive Theory
• D. Intrinsic Motivation

Answer: (D)

Intrinsic motivation is the main idea here: the drive to engage in an activity because you find it enjoyable or interesting, not for external rewards. When the pleasure comes from the activity itself, behavior is intrinsically motivated and tends to persist even without external incentives. For example, someone might learn a musical instrument because they genuinely enjoy playing, not because they will get praise or money. Extrinsic motivation relies on external rewards or outcomes, such as money, grades, or recognition. The Facial Feedback Hypothesis is about how facial expressions can influence emotional experience, not about what motivates actions. Incentive Theory emphasizes external incentives as drivers of behavior, so it doesn’t capture the internal pleasure aspect. Therefore, the described motive—pleasure of the activity itself—is intrinsic motivation.