What term describes motivation that comes from outside of a person?

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The term that describes motivation coming from outside of a person is extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation refers to factors that originate from external sources, such as rewards, recognition, or the avoidance of punishment. For example, a student might study hard to receive praise from parents or to earn good grades that can lead to scholarships. This type of motivation often relies on external outcomes rather than personal satisfaction or internal drives.

In contrast, intrinsic motivation is characterized by an internal drive to engage in an activity for its own sake, often because it is enjoyable or fulfilling. The other terms, such as inherent and core, do not specifically pertain to the concept of external motivation and are less commonly used in educational psychology to describe motivation types. Thus, extrinsic is clearly the most appropriate choice for describing motivation that comes from external factors.