Final answer:
The concept that adult behavior is influenced by childhood experiences originates from Sigmund Freud and his theory of psychosexual development. While other theorists like Erik Erikson and B.F. Skinner offered different perspectives, Freud's emphasis on early childhood stages is key to this idea. The correct option is c) Sigmund Freud
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that adult behavior is influenced by childhood experiences is most prominently attributed to Sigmund Freud. Freud, the founder of psychoanalytic theory, proposed that personality develops through early childhood via a series of stages known as psychosexual development.
According to Freud, our personalities as adults are shaped by the experiences we have in these stages, and if we do not receive the proper nurturance during a particular stage, we may become fixated, carrying issues tied to that stage into adulthood.
Other theorists, such as Erik Erikson, who developed the psychosocial theory of development, and B.F. Skinner, who focused on behavioral patterns through learned responses, contributed different perspectives.
Erikson believed that personality development occurs throughout the entire lifespan, not just in childhood, emphasizing the social aspects of development.
Meanwhile, Skinner argued that personality develops over our whole life through our interactions with the environment, highlighting learning and behavioral consequences. The correct option is c) Sigmund Freud