Applied Behavior Analysis Technician (ABAT) Practice Test

What does methodological behaviorism focus on?

1. Inner thoughts and feelings

2. Stimulus-response relationships

3. Complex cognition

4. Social influences on behavior

The correct answer is: Stimulus-response relationships

Methodological behaviorism focuses on observable behavior and its relationship to environmental stimuli, emphasizing the importance of stimulus-response relationships. This approach is grounded in the idea that behavior can be studied scientifically and that inward mental states, such as thoughts and feelings, are not suitable subjects for scientific inquiry because they cannot be directly observed. In methodological behaviorism, the emphasis is placed on how external stimuli lead to specific responses or behaviors. This perspective allows for a more objective analysis of behavior, ensuring that research and practices can be replicated and measured through observable actions rather than subjective interpretations of internal states. Other approaches that consider inner thoughts and feelings, complex cognition, and social influences divert from this primary focus of methodological behaviorism. They may explore internal cognitive processes or the impact of social contexts, which are not the main concern of this behavioral framework.