Extrínsecos

Extrínsecos is a term used in Portuguese and Spanish to refer to elements, factors, or properties that originate outside a system or object. The plural form extrínsecos corresponds to extrínseco in the singular. In many disciplines, the concept is contrasted with intrinsic (intrínseco) factors, which arise from the system itself rather than from external conditions.

In biology and medicine, extrinsic factors include nutrients, hormones, toxins, pathogens, and environmental cues that influence development, physiology, or disease. Extrinsic signaling from the cellular environment can affect gene expression, cell fate, and tissue remodeling, while extrinsic risk factors contribute to the likelihood of disease independent of a person’s genetic makeup.

In psychology and social sciences, extrinsic motivation refers to behavior driven by external rewards or pressures, such as money, grades, or social approval, rather than by internal interest or satisfaction. Extrinsic factors can also explain variability in behavior across contexts, situations, or cultures.

In physics and materials science, extrinsic factors or properties are those that depend on external conditions or the surrounding environment, such as applied fields, mechanical stress, orientation, or sample geometry. They are distinguished from intrinsic properties, which are inherent to the material regardless of external context.

Origin and usage: the term derives from Latin extrinsecus, meaning 'outside.' In Portuguese, extrínsecos is common in scientific and academic writing and is often aligned with the general idea of external origin across fields.