Question

Which of the following statements about the behaviorist perspective of personality is inaccurate?

1) It focuses on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts and feelings.
2) It believes that personality is shaped by the environment and external factors.
3) It emphasizes the role of unconscious desires and conflicts in shaping personality.
4) It suggests that behavior can be learned and modified through conditioning.

Answer 1

The inaccurate statement about the behaviorist perspective of personality is that it emphasizes the role of unconscious desires and conflicts in shaping personality. Behaviorism focuses on observable behavior and the influence of the environment.

Step-by-step explanation:

In regards to the behaviorist perspective of personality, the inaccurate statement among the given options is: 3) It emphasizes the role of unconscious desires and conflicts in shaping personality. Behaviorism, as a school of thought, focuses primarily on observable behavior and external factors that shape personality. This perspective does not concern itself with inner experiences, such as unconscious desires or conflicts, which are central to psychodynamic theories like those of Freud and the neo-Freudians.

Behaviorists like B.F. Skinner argued that environment and past learning experiences dictate behavior, indicating that consistent behavior patterns develop through reinforcement and punishment. According to behaviorism, behavior can indeed be modified through processes such as operant conditioning, a concept central to the behaviorist perspective.