Which are listed as common motives of informants?

Which are listed as common motives of informants?

• A. Fear; revenge; mercenary; egotistical/vanity; reform or repentance
• B. Competition; civic mindedness; jealousy; friendship; perverse
• C. Every person
• D. Civic mindedness only

Answer: (B)

Informants are often motivated by a mix of social and relational factors, not just fear or money. The best answer reflects a range of motives that frequently appear in real-world cases: competition, civic mindedness, jealousy, friendship, and even perverse interest. People may tip or cooperate because they want to outmaneuver others (competition), feel a duty to help the community (civic mindedness), want to settle scores or undermine a rival (jealousy), are loyal to or trust a friend (friendship), or derive some questionable thrill or deviation from norms (perverse). This combination captures how interpersonal dynamics and personal loyalties can drive informant cooperation, which is why it’s considered the most representative set of common motives. The other options lean on either a single motive, an overly broad claim, or focus primarily on fear or monetary incentives, which don’t as well reflect the usual mix seen in informant motivation.

Informants are often motivated by a mix of social and relational factors, not just fear or money. The best answer reflects a range of motives that frequently appear in real-world cases: competition, civic mindedness, jealousy, friendship, and even perverse interest. People may tip or cooperate because they want to outmaneuver others (competition), feel a duty to help the community (civic mindedness), want to settle scores or undermine a rival (jealousy), are loyal to or trust a friend (friendship), or derive some questionable thrill or deviation from norms (perverse). This combination captures how interpersonal dynamics and personal loyalties can drive informant cooperation, which is why it’s considered the most representative set of common motives. The other options lean on either a single motive, an overly broad claim, or focus primarily on fear or monetary incentives, which don’t as well reflect the usual mix seen in informant motivation.