What does behaviorism primarily focus on in the study of psychology?

Behaviorism primarily emphasizes observable behavior as its core aspect of study. This approach asserts that psychology should focus on what can be directly observed and measured, rather than on internal mental processes that are subjective and harder to quantify. Behaviorists argue that behaviors are products of environmental stimuli and can be conditioned through reinforcement and punishment.

By concentrating on measurable behavior, behaviorism provides a scientific framework that allows for the development of predictable behavioral models. This focus on empirical evidence empowers researchers to apply systematic methodologies to study learning, habits, and responses in humans and animals. In this way, behaviorism has significantly influenced various areas within psychology, such as education and behavioral therapy.

In contrast, the other choices center around concepts that delve into the internal aspects of psychology, which behaviorism deliberately avoids due to its prioritization of observable phenomena. The theoretical beliefs about internal mental processes, emotions and feelings, and self-reporting methods are relevant in understanding complex human experiences but fall outside the behaviorist paradigm that seeks to use objective and quantifiable data.