What do content theories of motivation focus on?

• A. How people are rewarded legally.
• B. The external rewards systems.
• C. What motivates people (their needs).
• D. How teams are organized.

Answer: (C)

Content theories of motivation focus on what inside people drives their behavior—their needs, desires, and goals. They ask what needs people are trying to satisfy and how those needs energize and direct effort. For example, Maslow’s idea is that people move through a hierarchy of needs from basic survival to self-actualization, while Herzberg distinguishes factors that cause dissatisfaction from those that truly motivate by fulfilling meaningful needs like achievement, growth, and recognition. In practice, these theories help explain why designing jobs and rewards that meet employees’ needs (pay, safety, belonging, esteem, meaningful work) can enhance motivation. So the emphasis is on the content of what motivates people—their needs—rather than on how motivation happens through processes or external contingencies.