Which statement about intrinsic motivation is true?

Which statement about intrinsic motivation is true?

• A. It comes from external rewards
• B. It is driven by social approval
• C. It is often more durable than extrinsic motivation
• D. It leads to less persistence

Answer: (C)

Intrinsic motivation comes from within—it's driven by genuine interest, enjoyment, or a sense of mastery in the activity itself. Because the activity is rewarding on its own, people tend to keep practicing or engaging even without external rewards or praise, so it tends to be more durable over time. Extrinsic motivation, by contrast, relies on outside rewards or social approval, which can be variable or withdrawable and may even dampen continued effort if rewards aren’t present. So, the statement that intrinsic motivation is often more durable than extrinsic motivation reflects how internal satisfaction sustains persistence longer. The other ideas describe motivation rooted in external factors or predict less persistence, which doesn’t fit with how intrinsic motivation tends to work.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within—it's driven by genuine interest, enjoyment, or a sense of mastery in the activity itself. Because the activity is rewarding on its own, people tend to keep practicing or engaging even without external rewards or praise, so it tends to be more durable over time. Extrinsic motivation, by contrast, relies on outside rewards or social approval, which can be variable or withdrawable and may even dampen continued effort if rewards aren’t present. So, the statement that intrinsic motivation is often more durable than extrinsic motivation reflects how internal satisfaction sustains persistence longer. The other ideas describe motivation rooted in external factors or predict less persistence, which doesn’t fit with how intrinsic motivation tends to work.