Which of the following approaches proposes that behavior is shaped by environmental reinforcements and punishments?

The social learning approach is grounded in the understanding that behavior is influenced significantly by environmental factors, particularly through the processes of reinforcement and punishment. This theory emphasizes the role of observational learning, where individuals observe the behaviors of others and the consequences those behaviors receive, leading them to either adopt or avoid specific actions based on observed outcomes.

In social learning theory, Albert Bandura highlighted that people do not merely respond to environmental stimuli; they actively interpret and engage with their environment. This theory posits that behaviors can be acquired not only through direct reinforcement but also vicariously—by watching others being rewarded or punished. Thus, the process of learning becomes a complex interplay of cognitive functions and environmental interactions.

In contrast, while the behavioral developmental approach focuses on how behavior changes in response to reinforcement, it may not incorporate the cognitive aspects of learning as comprehensively as the social learning theory does. The psychodynamic approach looks inward and emphasizes unconscious motivations and early life experiences, making it less about observable behavior shaped by external factors. The cognitive developmental approach centers on how thinking evolves over time and does not primarily focus on environmental reinforcements and punishments as determinants of behavior. Therefore, the social learning approach clearly aligns with the proposition that behavior is shaped by environmental reinforcements and