Which of the following is a commonly cited criticism of behaviorism in psychology?

• A. It places too much emphasis on genetic inheritance over environmental factors.
• B. It focuses primarily on unconscious motives and childhood experiences.
• C. It relies heavily on subjective interpretation rather than observable data.
• D. It ignores internal mental processes such as thoughts and emotions.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the core focus of behaviorism: it emphasizes observable behaviors and the influence of the environment on behavior, rather than internal mental states.
2. Review the options given and identify which one aligns with a common criticism of behaviorism. The criticism should relate to what behaviorism tends to overlook or minimize.
3. Eliminate options that do not fit behaviorism's characteristics: for example, behaviorism does not emphasize genetic inheritance over environment, nor does it focus on unconscious motives or subjective interpretation.
4. Recognize that a key criticism of behaviorism is that it ignores internal mental processes such as thoughts, feelings, and emotions, which are important in understanding human behavior.
5. Conclude that the correct criticism is the one stating that behaviorism ignores internal mental processes, as this highlights its limitation in addressing the full complexity of psychological phenomena.