Comment to your peer:

Taking the radical behavioral perspective, I would not consider an individual demonstrating a troubling behavioral pattern flawed. Behavior has always been understood to be something we learn, which can mean the behavior patterns in this individual are not necessarily their “fault”. Things like environmental stimuli, reinforcement, and learning history of the bx can all cause the pattern. Blaming the individual for the behaviors is not the focus, which is stated in research conducted by Skinner, Watson, and Thorndike. The attention should be redirected to understanding the individual’s environmental factors. This might include looking at where the behavior happens, whether it’s in a school setting, at home, or each time the client is in a social setting like a playground or grocery store. The individual most likely engaged in an undesired behavior and reinforcement was given causing the bx to be maintained in all environmental settings. Radical behaviorism emphasizes the importance of modifying the environment to promote more adaptive behaviors rather than assigning blame or fault to the individual.