Cognitive social learning theory (Bandura/Mischel)

Question 1

What is reciprocal determinism

Answer 1

In the argument over whether the person or the situation is most responsible for behavior, Bandura and Mischel argue for reciprocal determinism, in which a person’s behavior is based on an evaluation of the situation. That behavior changes the situation, requiring a new evaluation and a new behavior decision, and so on.

Question 2

What are the points of analysis (reciprocal determinism)

Answer 2

1. first, that we cannot easily separate the effects on behavior of person and situation, and
2. second, that the individual’s own behavior is a contributor to the situation, which in turn affects his or her behavior.

Question 3

What are social Learning person variables?

Answer 3

*the cognitive processes that an individual uses to perceive and evaluate a situation.

→ not traits because they change
→Determine which stimuli are perceived, and acted upon.
→Active cognitive processes
→ Generated by social learning experiences - observing
→ our personality can change! Either deliberately by ourselves or with therapists because our personhood is defined by these variables
→ Very open and optimistic view of personality

Question 4

What are the 5 cognitive social learning person variables

Answer 4

1. Competency and self-efficacy
2. Encoding Strategies (and personal constructs
3. Expectancies
4. Subjective Values
5. Self regulatory systems and Plans

Question 5

Explain Competency and self-efficacy

Answer 5

• Global beliefs about our abilities (general thought of ‘can I do this’)
• People with high levels of competency/efficacy work harder and try new things
• People who think they can do
• Those who believe in themselves make more growth choices

Question 6

Explain 2. Encoding Strategies

Answer 6

typical/habitual ways in which we tend to select and interpret things going on around us

• ex. some people see tests as a opportunity to fail, while others see an opportunity to prove themselves
• These interpretations are predictive of how people will treat them
• behaviour we expect and exude is more likely to be what we will get (reciprocal determinism again)

Question 7

Explain Personal constructs

Answer 7

Habitual ways of interpreting ourselves

that shape the behaviours we engage in and how people treat us (behaviours change environment)

Question 8

What are stimulus outcome expectancies?

Answer 8

expectancies about what events will follow other events (ie. If we see a yellow light a red light is likely to appear). Not about our behaviour, observations in the environment

Question 9

What are Behaviour Outcome expectancies

Answer 9

Expectancies about what consequences will follow our behaviour. What will happen if I do X. Very strong shaper of our behaviours. Ex. One person my expect asking a woman on a date will result in a yes while another expects a no and that will effect whether they engage in this behaviour

Question 10

What are self efficacy expectations?

Answer 10

More specific, what I think I can do in this particular situation (different from perceived self efficacy which is a general sense of our abilities)

Question 11

Explain subjective Values

Answer 11

What outcomes do we desire – shapes our behaviour
→ What are we doing something to achieve, Ex. Are we going on a date fro a relationship or sex
→ The things we value shape our behaviours and the choices we
- most similar to freuds super ego

Question 12

Explain self regulatory Systems

Answer 12

thermostats – regulate our behaviour – determine the extent to which our behaviour is acceptable and if it falls bellow we make adjustments .

• C may be a failure to one and a sucess to another
• Level of success shifts with experience
• Happens in all endeavors
• The problem occurs when we don’t make adjustments (either working harder or changing our expectations)

Question 13

Explain Plans

Answer 13

people are guided by what they want to accomplish in the future
Ex. University students are losing money in order to achieve a long-term goal
- Some people live day to day

Question 14

Give research example of how personal constructs can affect how you are percieved

Answer 14

• research example: men are given a picture of the woman they are about to be talking to. She is either beautiful or ugly
• New men come in without a picture and hear the women’s side of the previously recorded conversations
• Those who were called by someone thinking they are attractive are rated by the second group as being more attractive
• If we are treated as attractive we act as if you are attracted

Question 15

The extent to which someone can form plans depends on what factors?

Answer 15

1. Concept of competence and Self-efficacy: Is this a goal I have the capability of reaching.
   Ex. The marshmallow test
2. Value or importance of the goal: We are more likely to delay gratification for more important goals (ie. Life partners)
3. Past observed/personal experiences: If we have experiences with successful delay of gratification we are more likely to delay in future situations
   - Also if we’ve seen others successfully postpone gratification

Question 16

Criticism

Answer 16

Psychoanalysis – no room for unconscious
Behaviorists – cognitions can’t cause behaviour
→ Terms aren’t crisply defined, how can we evaluate them
→ It doesn’t predict behaviour any better than other models (like all others they are postdictive)

Question 17

What were mischels criticism of Trait theory?

Answer 17

→ Trait – behavior correlation = ~.30
→ Behavior – behavior correlation = ~.30
→behavioral consistencies cannot best be detected by assuming the operation of broad, internal traits or dispositions.
→behavior is not as consistent as trait theory said it was.

Question 18

one important impetus for the revival of the cognitive approach to psychology was:

Answer 18

Broadbent’s model of selective attention in the early 1950’s.

Question 19

Bandura and Mischel argue that the most common cause of behavior pathology (or psychopathology) is:

Answer 19

dysfunctional expectancies, especially expectancies about self-efficacy.