The questions test the six motives play, purpose, potential, emotional pressure, economic pressure and intertia.
Play
Play is a direct motivator. Play is what compels you to take up hobbies, from solving crossword puzzles to making scrapbooks to mixing music. Curiosity and experimentation are at the heart of play.
People intrinsically enjoy learning and adapting. We instinctively seek out opportunities to play.
Purpose
The purpose motive occurs when you do an activity because you value the outcome of the activity. You may or may not enjoy the work you do, but you value its impact.
You feel the purpose motive in the workplace when your values and beliefs align with the impact of the work.
Potential
The potential motive occurs when you find a second order outcome (versus a direct outcome) of the work that aligns with your values or beliefs. You do the work because it will eventually lead to something you believe is important, such as your personal goals.
Emotional Pressure
The first indirect motive, emotional pressure, occures when emotions such as disappointment, guilt, or shame compel you to perform an activity. These emotions are related to your beliefs (your self-preception) and external forces (the judgements of other people).
Economic Pressure
Economic pressure is when you do an activity solely to win a reward or avoid punishment. The movtive is separate from the work itself and separate from your own identity. In business, this often occurs when you're trying to gain a bonus or a promotion, avoid being fired or escape the bullying of an angry boss.
Intertia
The most indirect motive of all is inertia. With intertia, your motive for working is so distant from the work itself that you can no longer say where it comes from - you do what you do simply because you did it yesterday.