Which psychological approach may oversimplify complex human behavior?

The behaviorism approach may oversimplify complex human behavior because it focuses primarily on observable behaviors and the environmental stimuli that influence them, while largely ignoring the internal mental processes, emotions, and thoughts that contribute to behavior. This perspective operates on the premise that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning and can be observed and measured, which can lead to a reductionist view of human psychology.

By emphasizing empirical and measurable aspects of behavior, behaviorism may fail to account for the richness of human experiences, including motivations, social contexts, and the influence of cognitive processes. This can lead to a limited understanding of how and why individuals behave the way they do, as the approach does not consider the complexities of mental states, personal histories, or emotional factors that also play significant roles in shaping behavior.

In contrast, other approaches, like psychoanalytic theory, humanistic psychology, and cognitive behavioral therapy, aim to address these complexities by exploring underlying psychological processes, self-actualization, and cognitive patterns, respectively.