Hello,
A sensory stimulus is any event or object that is received by the senses and elicits a response from a person. The stimulus can come in many forms such as light, heat, sound, touch, as well as from internal factors. Distal and proximal are classifications of these stimuli.
Distal stimuli are objects and events out in the world about you. Proximal stimuli are the patterns of stimuli from these objects and events that actually reach your senses (eyes, ears, etc.).
Incentive stimuli have three fundamental properties: (1) they attract, eliciting approach towards them; (2) they are “wanted”, in the sense that animals will work to get them; and (3) they can spur ongoing instrumental actions to obtain the associated reward. An example of this would be drugs for someone with an addiction
Thanks,
Kennedy