A boy complains that his sister has been teasing him. The parents ask him to tell them specifically when she teases him and how it happens; they are asking him to provide behavioral data to support his claim. A psychologist would say that the child is being encouraged to do all of the following EXCEPT

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The parents are asking for specific instances and conditions of the teasing behavior, which involves observing, reporting objectively, and noting conditions. They are not asking for explanations of why the sister teases him, which would involve speculation or interpretation rather than direct observation.  The parents are asking for accurate observations of the behavior; they are asking for descriptions of the behavior, rather than explanations of it. Explanations go beyond what is observed.

A Boy Complains That His Sister Has Been Teasing Him