Which of the following would most likely be of interest to a theorist from the cognitive approach?

• A. The influence of genetic inheritance on behavior
• B. How individuals process, store, and retrieve information
• C. The effects of reinforcement and punishment on learning
• D. The role of unconscious drives in shaping personality

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the cognitive approach in psychology, which focuses on mental processes such as thinking, memory, perception, and problem-solving.
2. Step 2: Identify that a cognitive theorist is interested in how individuals process, store, and retrieve information rather than biological inheritance, behavior consequences, or unconscious drives.
3. Step 3: Review each option and determine which aligns with cognitive psychology: genetic inheritance relates to biological approaches, reinforcement and punishment relate to behavioral approaches, and unconscious drives relate to psychodynamic approaches.
4. Step 4: Recognize that the option about how individuals process, store, and retrieve information directly corresponds to the cognitive approach's focus on internal mental processes.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct choice is the one emphasizing mental information processing, as this is the hallmark of cognitive psychology.