Which field is best described as "a systematic approach to understanding behavior of social importance"?

• A. Applied behavior analysis
• B. Cognitive neuroscience
• C. Humanistic psychology
• D. Psychoanalysis

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key phrase in the question: "a systematic approach to understanding behavior of social importance." This means the field focuses on applying structured methods to study behaviors that affect society or individuals in practical ways.
2. Step 2: Review the definitions of each option: Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a field that uses principles of learning theory to bring about meaningful behavior change, often in socially significant areas such as education, therapy, and organizational behavior.
3. Step 3: Cognitive neuroscience studies the brain mechanisms underlying cognition, focusing more on brain processes than on directly changing socially important behavior.
4. Step 4: Humanistic psychology emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization, focusing on subjective experience rather than systematic behavior change.
5. Step 5: Psychoanalysis is a therapeutic approach focusing on unconscious processes and early experiences, not primarily a systematic method for changing socially important behavior.