Which psychological factor best explains why a desire to feel included or belong to a group can contribute to an individual using tobacco?

• A. Operant conditioning
• B. Classical conditioning
• C. Social influence
• D. Cognitive dissonance

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the psychological factors listed. Operant conditioning involves learning through rewards and punishments, classical conditioning involves associating two stimuli, cognitive dissonance involves discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs or behaviors, and social influence involves how individuals change their behavior to fit in with a group.
2. Step 2: Consider the scenario: an individual uses tobacco because they want to feel included or belong to a group. This suggests the behavior is motivated by social factors rather than direct rewards or learned associations.
3. Step 3: Analyze operant conditioning: Does the individual receive a reward or punishment directly from tobacco use? Not necessarily; the motivation is more about group acceptance than reinforcement.
4. Step 4: Analyze classical conditioning: Is tobacco use paired with a stimulus that triggers the behavior automatically? This is less relevant here since the behavior is driven by social context, not stimulus association.
5. Step 5: Analyze social influence: This factor explains how the desire to belong to a group can lead to adopting behaviors like tobacco use to fit in, making it the best explanation for the behavior in this context.