Child and Youth Care (CYC) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CYC Practice Questions and Study Guide

The behaviorism perspective primarily explains behaviors as responses to environmental reinforcements. This approach, rooted in the work of psychologists like B.F. Skinner and John Watson, posits that all behavior is learned through interactions with the environment. According to behaviorism, individuals are not seen as passive recipients of stimuli but as active agents who respond to rewards or punishments that follow their actions.

When a behavior is reinforced positively, individuals are likely to repeat it, while negative reinforcement or punishment can lead to the cessation of that behavior. This perspective emphasizes observable behaviors rather than internal thought processes or feelings. By focusing on the relationship between stimulus and response, behaviorism provides a scientific framework for understanding how behaviors can be shaped, modified, or changed over time through systematic reinforcement strategies.

Other perspectives like psychoanalysis focus heavily on the unconscious mind, while social learning theory emphasizes the influence of societal norms. Additionally, exploring an individual's past experiences is more aligned with therapeutic modalities that consider personal history and unconscious influences, which are not primary concerns in behaviorism.