Question

A teacher notices that one of her usually calm and respectful students behaves aggressively during a group activity. She considers whether this behaviour might be due to peer pressure and classroom dynamics rather than the student's personality. Which approach is the teacher following?

• A. Functionalism
• B. Altruism
• C. Structuralism
• D. Situationism

Hint:

If the cause of behavior is attributed to the "environment" or "external circumstances," always look for terms like Situationism or Social Context.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Psychologists often debate whether behavior is driven by internal traits (Dispositionism) or external environment (Situationism).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The teacher is looking at external factors like "peer pressure" and "classroom dynamics" to explain the student's aggression.
This perspective emphasizes that the situation or environmental context determines behavior more than inherent personality traits.
Functionalism and Structuralism are historical schools of thought in psychology related to the structure and function of the mind.
Altruism refers to selfless concern for the well-being of others, which is irrelevant to explaining aggressive behavior here.
Since the teacher attributes the behavior to the social environment, she is following the Situationist approach.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct approach is Situationism.