According to the behaviorism approach, how is abnormal behavior primarily learned?

The behaviorism approach emphasizes that abnormal behavior is primarily learned through the processes of rewards and punishments. Behaviorists, such as B.F. Skinner, suggest that behaviors—whether considered normal or abnormal—are not inherent traits or purely the result of internal feelings or thoughts, but rather developed through interactions with the environment. When certain behaviors are reinforced through positive outcomes (like praise or rewards), they are more likely to be repeated. Conversely, behaviors that are not reinforced or are punished tend to diminish or extinguish over time.

In this framework, abnormal behaviors can be understood as learned responses to various stimuli, shaped by the consequences they experience. This perspective contrasts with approaches that attribute behavior to genetic factors, abnormal stimuli, or introspective processes, which do not focus on the observable, measurable interactions with the environment that are central to behaviorism. By applying the behaviorist lens, it becomes clear that our actions, including those deemed abnormal, arise from a history of reinforcements and punishments rather than innate characteristics or internal reflection.