Definition of

Incentive

Coins

An incentive is a stimulus.

An inducement is a stimulus or incitement . The concept, which comes from the Latin word allicĭens , is used with reference to that which attracts or tempts .

For example: “The presence of Lionel Messi in the squad was another incentive for me to decide to play for this club” , “That the office is so close to my house is an incentive for me” , “The historical attractions of the city ​​are an incentive to choose it as a tourist destination.”

Etymology of incentive

Getting into this term means starting by knowing what its etymological origin is. In this case, we can establish that it is a word of Latin origin since it derives from allicientis. Likewise, we can determine that it is the result of the sum of three clearly defined components:

  • The prefix ad- , which can be translated as “towards” .
  • The verb lacere , which means “to cajole” or “to attract.”
  • The -nt component, which is used to indicate the agent.
Brazil

A stimulus can be mentioned as an incentive: "The combination of beaches and nightlife was an incentive to choose Rio de Janeiro as our vacation destination."

The concept

An inducement is generally considered to be an incentive to make a decision or take some action . Suppose a man is analyzing the proposals of different banks to choose which entity to open an account with. This person studies the offers of several institutions until he makes the decision: for the subject, the fact that a bank has offered him free access to a points and rewards program was an incentive when it came to making his decision.

The members of a married couple, on the other hand, debate about the place they will choose for their next vacation . After several hours of talking, they decide together that they will travel to Rio de Janeiro . The combination of beaches and nightlife that the Brazilian city offers was an incentive for the couple.

As you can see, it is possible to find incentives in various moments of daily life. The participation of an actor in a certain film can be an incentive to see the film, while the attendance of a friend at a party can act as an incentive to attend the event. The possibility of receiving additional money , on the other hand, is usually an incentive to work overtime (overtime).

For all the above, we can determine that synonyms for incentive are stimulus , incentive and attraction , among others. On the contrary, an antonym of that word would be, for example, impediment .

Encouragement in literature and psychology

Within the scope of literature, the concept we are addressing has been used on more than one occasion. Thus, for example, we have heard statements from different writers who affirm that writing is their incentive to get up every morning or simply to have a great time. This is what the authors Inma Chacón and Jon Juaristi think respectively, as they have expressed it in different interviews they have given.

In the field of psychology , meanwhile, we come across the fact that professionals who treat patients with depression are trying to get them to begin to find the incentives that life has in order to begin to overcome the moment they are experiencing. And those can be from raising and educating their children to falling in love to finding the job they like or enjoying the family and friends who love them.