Which model explains human behavior through learning and adaptation principles?

The behavioral model explains human behavior primarily through the principles of learning and adaptation. This approach is grounded in the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. It emphasizes observable behaviors over internal thoughts or feelings, positing that individuals learn behaviors through interactions with their environment, particularly through reinforcement and punishment.

Behaviorism focuses on how individuals adapt to their surroundings based on responses to stimuli. For example, positive reinforcement encourages the repetition of certain behaviors, while negative reinforcement discourages undesirable actions. The model is rooted in the work of psychologists such as B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson, who demonstrated how behavior could be modified through specific techniques.

In contrast, the cognitive model centers on mental processes and how people perceive and interpret information, overlooking the learning principles that the behavioral model highlights. The humanistic model focuses on individual potential and stresses the importance of personal growth and self-actualization, which does not center around learning through adaptation in the same manner as behaviorism. The psychoanalytic model delves into unconscious processes and early childhood experiences but does not prioritize learning and adaptation as the key explanatory factors for human behavior.