The Power of Incentives in Shaping Behavior

An incentive

An incentive refers to something that motivates or encourages a person to take a certain action or behave in a particular way. It can be either a reward or a penalty, depending on the circumstances.

Explanation

An incentive refers to something that motivates or encourages a person to take a certain action or behave in a particular way. It can be either a reward or a penalty, depending on the circumstances. For example, in an educational setting, students may be offered incentives such as extra credit or a small gift for completing their assignments on time. On the other hand, a penalty like losing privileges or facing consequences can also serve as an incentive to discourage certain behaviors.

In summary, an incentive can be either a reward or a penalty and is used to influence behavior.

Final answer:

(C) could be either a reward or a penalty.