Which of the following statements demonstrates a behavioral approach? Select the best answer.

• A. A psychologist studies how a person's observable actions change in response to rewards and punishments.
• B. A psychologist examines how people interpret and think about social situations.
• C. A psychologist analyzes a person's unconscious motives to explain their behavior.
• D. A psychologist explores how genetic factors influence personality traits.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the core principle of the behavioral approach in psychology. It focuses on observable behaviors and how they are influenced by the environment, particularly through learning mechanisms like rewards and punishments.
2. Step 2: Review each statement and identify whether it emphasizes observable behavior and environmental influences, or if it focuses on internal mental processes, unconscious motives, or genetic factors.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the statement mentioning a psychologist studying how a person's observable actions change in response to rewards and punishments aligns with the behavioral approach because it highlights behavior modification through external stimuli.
4. Step 4: Note that the other statements focus on cognitive processes (thinking and interpreting), unconscious motives (psychoanalytic approach), and genetic influences (biological approach), which are not central to the behavioral perspective.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best answer is the one that describes studying observable behavior changes due to rewards and punishments, as this directly reflects the behavioral approach.