In cognitive psychology, the cognitive perspective primarily focuses on how people process information to understand and guide behavior. Which option best completes this statement?

• A. people perceive, encode, store, retrieve, and use information
• B. behavior is shaped solely by reinforcement and punishment histories
• C. genetic inheritance alone determines complex mental abilities and behavior
• D. unconscious conflicts from early childhood determine personality and behavior

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the cognitive perspective in psychology, which emphasizes mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving as key to understanding behavior.
2. Step 2: Review each option carefully to see which aligns with the cognitive perspective's focus on information processing.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the option stating 'people perceive, encode, store, retrieve, and use information' directly describes the stages of information processing central to cognitive psychology.
4. Step 4: Note that other options refer to behaviorism (reinforcement and punishment), genetic determinism, and psychoanalytic theory (unconscious conflicts), which are different psychological perspectives.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best completion of the statement is the option that highlights the mental processes involved in handling information, consistent with the cognitive perspective.