Cognitive and social approaches to personality Flashcards
What idea to learning theories reject? What did they suggest instead?
The idea that our behaviour is directed by inner motives.
Suggested instead -> all behaviour is learnt and individual differences in behaviour are the result of the different learning experiences people have had
What is one of the major questions in personality theorising?
Whether inner or outer forces control our behaviour
Who are 3 key behaviourism theorists?
Pavlov, Watson and Skinner
What did Albert Bandura day about personality development?
Personality development is about how we learn to become the person we are -> explains why we behave as we do
What does Bandura see the individual as?
An active player responding to both inner stimuli and external environments and moving back and forward in a dynamic system
What is reciprocal determinism?
the idea that behavior is controlled or determined by the individual, through personal factors, behavioural factors, environmental factors
What experiment was Bandura famous for? (what did he do?)
Bobo doll
Tested 3-6yr old children - observational learning
Either saw an adult model behaving aggressively to a doll, playing quietly or a control
Children who observed aggressive model were more likely to behave aggressively to the toys in another room
What 3 factors are important in modelling?
Characteristics of model, attributes of observer, consequences of imitating behaviour
What type of studies did Julian Rotter and Bandura think were too simplistic to address the complexity of human behaviour?
Animal studies
What did Rotter claim we need to know to predict behaviour in a given situation?
What the options are
What we see as being the possible outcomes for each option
What is the equation for behaviour potential?
Behaviour potential = reinforcement value x expectancy
What is Rotter’s locus of control and what are the 2 types?
Our general expectancies in new situations
Internal - individuals who believe their behaviour does make a difference to the outcomes
External - individuals who believe that what they do does not influence the outcome
What are cognitive approaches to personality?
Assign a role to inner processes and the environment we operate in.
Inner psychological processes -> our unconscious thoughts (cognitions) about ourselves, other people and situations that influence how we perceive the world.
What is George Kelly’s theory of personal constructs?
Individuals act as scientists BUT unlike true scientists, we cont have objective data to work with.
Interpret events in the world according to our own theories of human behaviour.
Personal constructs: the criteria we each use to perceive and interpret events
What is Kelly’s fundamental postulate?
We create our own view of the world and then act according to our perceptions / we act in line with how we expect the situation to be based on past events
What is constructive alternativism? (George Kelly)
We all perceive the world differently and are all capable of changing our minds
