Question

Which statement most closely characterizes the current view of most psychologists toward the study of behavior?

a. Psychologists borrow and blend from different perspectives.

b. Psychologists tend to agree that the most productive approach is the biological perspective.

c. Psychologists take the approach that complex behavior can be reduced to patterns of simple behavior

d. Although psychologists differ in their basic approach, all agree on the questions to be asked and how they should be studied.

Answer 1

Most psychologists currently take an eclectic approach, borrowing and blending from different perspectives to understand behavior. They integrate various aspects of psychology to explain complex behavior, challenging simplistic behaviorist views. This approach allows them to incorporate a wide range of factors including biological, cognitive, and environmental influences.

Step-by-step explanation:

The current view of most psychologists toward the study of behavior is that psychologists borrow and blend from different perspectives. This eclectic approach acknowledges the variety of factors that can influence human behavior including biological, environmental, psychological, and socio-cultural influences. Psychologists recognize the complexity of behavior and cognition, often integrating concepts from biological psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and other areas to explain and predict behaviors.

This interdisciplinary perspective is evident in contemporary psychology which is highly diverse, including fields such as health psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, forensic psychology, and clinical psychology, each applying psychological principles to specific domains.

Purely biological or behaviorist models of understanding behavior are not as widely accepted as standalone explanations. Modern psychology incorporates empirical evidence and scientific methods to study the full spectrum of factors that contribute to behavior, moving beyond the limitations of a single perspective like the behaviorist approach suggested by B. F. Skinner, who emphasized environmental influences on behavior to the exclusion of biological factors.

Psychologists also explore the reasons behind behaviors that may appear irrational by blending insights from different perspectives. This approach allows for a more nuanced view of human behavior that can incorporate findings from fields such as cognitive science, genetics, and neuroscience. Fundamentally, psychologists appreciate the interaction of biology, environment, and experiences in shaping behavior and understanding psychological principles.