_________theory says employee behavior is directed toward pleasure and away from pain or toward certain outcomes and away from others.

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Clarifying the prompt, we’re asked to identify which theory describes employee behavior as being directed toward pleasure and away from pain or toward certain outcomes and away from others.
Option 1: Goal setting. While goal setting is about establishing specific targets to guide performance, it doesn’t by itself encapsulate the idea of behavior being driven by the pursuit of pleasure versus avoidance of pain or by outcomes. So this option mislabels the core motivational mechanism.
Option 2: Extrinsic. The term extrinsic motivation refers to motivation that comes from external rewards or pressures rather than from the activity itself. Although external rewards can influence behavior toward outcomes, this choice doesn’t articulate the directional focus on pleasure/pain or specific outcomes as a theory, making it an incomplete fit for the description.
Option 3: Psychological empowerment. This concept emphasizes giving employees a sense of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. It relates to intrinsic motivation and empowerment, not to a theory that frames behavior in terms of pursuing pleasure or avoiding pain toward/outcomes, so it doesn’t match the described idea.
Option 4: Expectancy. Expectancy theory, often attributed to Vroom, posits that motivation is shaped by the expectation that effort will lead to performance (expectancy), that performance will lead to certain outcomes (instrumentality), and that those outcomes will be valued (valence). The phrasing in the question—behavior directed toward pleasure and away from pain or toward certain outcomes and away from others—aligns with a theory that connects anticipated outcomes to motivational direction, which fits expectancy theory in spirit. It captures the idea that people are motivated by expected consequences and their value, i.e., pursuing desired outcomes and avoiding undesired ones.

In summary, the description aligns most closely with expectancy theory's emphasis on outcomes and their perceived value as the drivers of motivated behavior, while the other options either focus on goals, external rewards, or empowerment without matching the stated directional/outcome-oriented motivation concept.

_________theory says employee behavior is directed toward pleasure and away from pain or toward certain outcomes and away from others.

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