85. Which of the following would a behavioral psychologist most likely endorse?
Answer: E
Development is best understood by knowing which actions have previously been reinforced and punished.
A behavioral psychologist would most likely endorse the idea that understanding development involves analyzing the reinforcement and punishment of behaviors, as this aligns with the core principles of behaviorism.
A) To best understand development, one must first account for the influence of five environmental systems.
This option reflects a perspective more aligned with ecological systems theory, notably proposed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, rather than behaviorism. Behavioral psychologists focus on observable behaviors and their consequences, not on the broader environmental systems influencing development.
B) Children rely on higher-order processing.
This statement pertains to cognitive psychology, which emphasizes mental processes such as thinking and understanding. Behavioral psychologists, however, concentrate on behavior and how it is shaped by reinforcement and punishment rather than cognitive processes.
C) Individuals can become fixated at an early stage of development if their libidos are not gratified properly.
This option is rooted in Freudian psychoanalysis, which discusses psychosexual stages of development. Behavioral psychologists do not focus on such internal drives or fixations but instead on observable behavior and its modification through reinforcement.
D) Children are like little scientists, actively constructing their knowledge individually.
This viewpoint aligns with constructivist theories, particularly those of Jean Piaget. Behavioral psychologists, in contrast, emphasize the role of external stimuli and consequences in shaping behavior rather than an individual’s active construction of knowledge.
E) Development is best understood by knowing which actions have previously been reinforced and punished.
This option is consistent with the principles of behaviorism, as it focuses on how behaviors are shaped by their consequences. A behavioral psychologist would endorse this view, emphasizing the importance of reinforcement and punishment in understanding behavior and development.
Conclusion
The correct answer, E, clearly aligns with the fundamental tenets of behavioral psychology, which prioritize the analysis of behavior through reinforcement and punishment. All other options reflect different psychological theories that do not emphasize the behavioral approach, making them less suitable from a behavioral psychologist's perspective.