According to behaviorist principles, approximately how many repetitions does it typically take for a behavior to become a habit?

• A. 21 times
• B. 2 times
• C. 12 times
• D. 11 times

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that behaviorist principles focus on learning through repetition and reinforcement, where a behavior becomes more likely to occur as it is repeated and rewarded.
2. Recognize that the question asks for an approximate number of repetitions needed for a behavior to become a habit, which is a common concept in behaviorism related to conditioning.
3. Recall that popular psychology and some behaviorist interpretations suggest that it takes around 21 repetitions for a behavior to become automatic or habitual.
4. Compare the given options (2, 11, 12, 21) with this commonly cited figure to identify the best match.
5. Conclude that the approximate number of repetitions for habit formation, according to behaviorist principles, is 21 times.