With which of the following statements would John B. Watson most likely agree?

• A. Introspection is the best method to understand the human mind.
• B. Human behavior is best explained by innate instincts.
• C. Unconscious motives are the primary drivers of behavior.
• D. Psychology should focus on observable behavior rather than internal mental processes.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the historical context of John B. Watson's contributions to psychology. He is known as the founder of behaviorism, a school of thought that emphasizes the study of observable behavior over internal mental states.
2. Step 2: Review the key principles of behaviorism, which argue that psychology should be an objective science focused on measurable and observable behaviors rather than introspection or unconscious motives.
3. Step 3: Analyze each statement in the problem to see which aligns with Watson's views: introspection (looking inward) is rejected by Watson; innate instincts are less emphasized compared to learned behaviors; unconscious motives are more aligned with psychoanalysis, not behaviorism.
4. Step 4: Identify that the statement 'Psychology should focus on observable behavior rather than internal mental processes' directly reflects Watson's behaviorist perspective.
5. Step 5: Conclude that John B. Watson would most likely agree with the statement emphasizing observable behavior as the proper focus of psychology.