Final answer:
An interactionist believes that nature and nurture together influence behavior, and this is consistent with modern psychological consensus. This view entails a synthesis that acknowledges both genetic and environmental contributions to behavior, contrasting with perspectives that emphasize a single determinant.
Step-by-step explanation:
A psychological theorist who claims to be an interactionist is most likely to believe that the influences of nature and nurture interact to shape behavior.
This perspective recognizes that both genetic predispositions (nature) and experiential or environmental factors (nurture) contribute to the development of individual behaviors and traits. Interactionism is a viewpoint that avoids the extremes of biological determinism, which claims genetics are the sole determinants of behavior and views that assert that environment or free will are the exclusive factors shaping behavior.
The nature versus nurture debate is no longer considered a strict dichotomy in modern psychology. Instead, there is a consensus that both factors are essential in the development of personality and behavioral patterns. The view that social factors are irrelevant to behavior would be inconsistent with interactionist thought, as interactionists acknowledge the role of environmental influences in shaping behavior.
While behaviorists like B.F. Skinner has argued that environment is the sole determinator of behavior, the interactionist approach aligns more closely with Albert Bandura's social-cognitive theory, which includes reciprocal determinism and acknowledges the interplay between individual behaviors, cognitive processes, and environmental context.