Social Cognitive Theory Flashcards

Question

Self-enhancement

Answer 1

 People are biased towards maintaining a positive view of the self  e.g. if I fail an exam its because the test was “unfair” [externalised – fundamental attribution bias]  This may also causes us to over-estimate our positive attributes (e.g., defensively, misattribution, and/or irrationally)  e.g., raising our SEE, despite performance – grandiosity in clinical narcissism as an extreme [internalised

Answer 2

 Very strong motive to be consistent in who we are (whether good or bad for us) to avoid threat/anxiety  i.e., can cause dogmatic thinking; lacking psychological flexibility (lack of assimilation of ideas; denial)  Self-schema: “I’m virtuous because I’m always honest: I tell it like it is, and some people cant handle it”  the person says hurtful things under a “veil of truth”  But its judgmental and biased to their own perception to reinforce their own behaviour/values as a means of self-verification (i.e., if I can verify that you agree with me then that reinforces/enhances my self-verification)  Therapeutic efforts are used to modify these self-schemas and challenge cognitive distortions  E.g., self-verification can also suffer from black or white (all or none) and catastrophic thinking (i.e., cog. distortions)

Answer 3

Learning: more interested in what can be learnt Performance: more interested in achievement

Answer 4

People respond to their beliefs about events not the events themselves

Answer 5

(1) Problem-focused (externalise)  Cope by altering aspects of the situation (external; reality) (2) Emotion-focused (internalise)  Attempt to improve internal emotional state  e.g., seek social support, talk it out, cognitive distancing, mindfulness, coping, etc.)

Answer 6

 Designed to identify and correct distortions in thinking and beliefs  Help clients to monitor their own negative thoughts and to substitute more reality-orientated interpretations in their place

Answer 7

 Excellent.  Mischel, Bandura and colleagues built their theory on a systematic accumulation of objective scientific evidence  Very diverse  Correlational, laboratory and longitudinal studies  Looked at behavioural change  Ran clinical studies  Participants in studies have been every imaginable type  Along with Trait theory it is based on the largest databases of scientific knowledge  And continues to grow

Answer 8

Not very good.  No over-arching network of assumptions that tie together all theoretical elements  More of a strategy for studying personality than a full theory  Theory could indicate the sort of things we should assess, but too diverse to collate it all together  The SCT approach prides itself on assessing the whole person – no easy feat

Answer 9

Yes, highly. Clear concepts that can be measured

Answer 10

 SCT have addressed:  Motivation  Development  Self-concept  Self-control (gratification delay)  Psychopathologies  Behavioural change  But…  Biological aspects as synergistic elements (cause and effect, neuromodulator roles in bx, etc)  Temperament? (genetic; attachment theory; Eysenck P-E-N)

Answer 11

Excellent. CBT considered the gold-standard in clinical approaches  Most commonly used in modern day psychological therapy  But, the “gold-standard” is denoted for its empirical evidence (testable) (reliability>validity)  Do CBT ‘tasks’ really address the underlying problem? (neurotic; anxiety disorders)  Behavioural change is important but what caused the anxiety in the first place? (e.g., Neuroticism)  CBT process → identifies negative/distorted thoughts (and bx) and develops strategies to address those thoughts  But where do these maladaptive thoughts and behaviours come from – and why?

Answer 12

the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands

Answer 13

(1) Build your connections (social connection)  Prioritize relationships (e.g., beneficial/supportive, non-judgmental, unconditional positive regard and empathy)  Join a group, belong, be social, be kind (e.g., Maslow - belongingness & responsibility) (2) Foster wellness (coping)  Take care of your body (e.g., exercise)  Take care of your mind (e.g., mindfulness)  Avoid negative outlets (e.g., maladaptive coping; short term gain; mood/emotion) (3) Find purpose (life strategy)  Look for opportunities for self-discovery (e.g., the obstacle is the way; enter the unknown)  Help others (e.g., empathy, active listening, and compassion – “be there”)  Be proactive and move toward your goals (e.g., SMART goals, short and long term, baby steps – just start) (4) Embrace healthy thoughts (perception & cognition)  Keep things in perspective and use reason in addressing automatic thoughts (impression → reason → meaning)  Accept change (e.g., openness vs resistance); have the wisdom to discern what you can and can’t control  Maintain a hopeful outlook (e.g., this too shall pass; amore fate – love fate