Final answer:
The claim that rewards and punishment are central to the psychoanalytic approach is false; this idea pertains to the behavioral perspective, particularly operant conditioning developed by B.F. Skinner.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that rewards and punishment play an important role in the psychoanalytic approach is false. The psychoanalytic approach, founded by Sigmund Freud, emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences on behavior, rather than rewards and punishment. On the other hand, the concept of rewards and punishments is tied to the behavioral perspective, especially within the framework of operant conditioning, which was developed by B. F. Skinner, a radical behaviorist.
A primary reinforcer refers to something that has innate reinforcing qualities, like food or water, which do not rely on any learning process to be reinforcing. Skinner highlighted the importance of using reinforcement over punishment in learning. While positive punishment can be a tool for decreasing undesirable behavior, Skinner and modern psychologists often prefer reinforcement methods to encourage favorable behavior due to the potential negative effects of punishment.
An example of operant conditioning in practice is when a child is rewarded with a toy after cleaning their room, which serves to reinforce the desired behavior. Positive reinforcement has been shown to be an effective way to increase achievement and encourage desired behaviors, such as in education settings where students could be rewarded for reading. This method aligns with Skinner's advocacy for applying operant conditioning principles to influence behavior in educational contexts.