Which statement about human behavior would B. F. Skinner support?

B. F. Skinner, a prominent behaviorist, strongly believed that behaviors are primarily learned through interactions with the environment, rather than being intrinsic or fixed. He emphasized the role of reinforcement in shaping behavior, proposing that actions followed by positive reinforcement tend to be repeated, thus modifying behavior over time. This perspective aligns with his views on operant conditioning, where external stimuli and consequences play a crucial role in learning and behavior modification. Through his research, Skinner demonstrated that various behaviors could be influenced and altered through reinforcement techniques, highlighting the significance of the environment in shaping human behavior. This fundamentally contrasts with the ideas presented in the other statements, which suggest that behaviors are either innate, determined by genetics, or influenced by unconscious motives—all of which diverge from Skinner’s focus on learned behavior through environmental interaction.