Which of the following applies to private methods in Java?

Private methods in Java are specifically designed to be accessible only within the class in which they are defined. This encapsulation is a fundamental principle of object-oriented programming, allowing a class to hide its internal implementation details and protect its state from outside interference. Consequently, private methods cannot be called or accessed by any subclass, nor can they be invoked from any other class.

This encapsulation capability aids in reducing code complexity and provides a clear interface for interaction with the class, ensuring that changes can be made internally without affecting other classes or subclasses. Therefore, the assertion that private methods can only be called within their own class is indeed correct, highlighting their encapsulated nature and reinforcing the concept of data hiding.