Social Cognitive Theory

Question 1

Social Cognitive Theory Definition

Answer 1

Suggests that people learn new behaviors through observing others, imitating those behaviors and then being reinforced by the outcomes of that (attention is gets or doesn’t get and are brains are hardwired to do that)

Question 2

Why is social cognitive theory important in health behavior change?

Answer 2

Caring attention for behavior reinforces behaviors and acknowledging these behaviors makes them seen more; Example: Eating disorder because first they are told how good they look and then it goes too far

Question 3

The main constructs of SCT are individual, environment, and behavior. How are they related?

Answer 3

Reciprocal relationship between the three main constructs that are central to the social cognitive theory; Relationship among individuals cognitions, their behaviors, and their environment and their effects on each other; Never operate independently

Question 4

Can you give examples within those constructs or SCT?

Answer 4

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Question 5

The social cognitive theory overlaps with the individual behavior models we covered in class. Describe ways in which this is true.

Answer 5

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Question 6

How do we increase self-efficacy?

Answer 6

Psychological State, Verbal Persuasion, Vicarious Experience, Inactive Detainment

Question 7

How do we increase self-efficacy? (SCT)

Answer 7

Psychological State, Verbal Persuasion, Vicarious Experience, Inactive Detainment

Question 8

Physiological State (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 8

If you are working with someone who is trying something new and you have it all set but it is a day that you can see that just the fact they are there is a win (bc they are tired/distracted) then it should not be the day to try something new because their SE towards that is going to be lower and they will have a negative attitude/experience

Question 9

Verbal Persuasion (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 9

Endorsing one’s ability to do something; Trust is number one thing to establish with a patient; Do not lie and tell someone they can do it if you don’t think that they can, its important if they value your opinion

Question 10

Verbal Persuasion Example (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 10

If you are working with a student in an academic setting, remind them that you have worked with a lot of students, you have seen what they put together and it looks good, follow that with evidence as to why

Question 11

Vicarious Experience (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 11

Watching someone else do it which is most effective if you identify with them; Know someone like you that can do something that you never imagined that they or you could do; Have stories with permission to give others experience to give the individual more confidence in their own abilities (Most effective)

Question 12

Vicarious Experience (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 12

Power of peer not trainer when you see someone like you working out in new and different ways; Not like a 40yr old mom that sees instagram fitness; You are the before and they are the after that you also could be

Question 13

Inactive Detainment (Increasing SE, SCT)

Answer 13

Step by step/Piece by piece; One’s experience, Success (Higher SE)/Failure (Lower SE); You can manipulate their experience by contextualizing it by normalizing failure as part of the process (If they know it happens to others when they try it is a different experience)

Question 14

Reciprocal Triadic Determinism (SCT)

Answer 14

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Question 15

Knowledge (SCT)

Answer 15

Can either be about outcomes of the behavior or the risks of the behavior or knowledge about something; Important to understand that knowledge is a precondition/gateway but it is almost never sufficient for a behavior change (Necessity but it is not what is holding someone back); Content Knowledge: Advantages or drawbacks of the behavior/ Procedural Knowledge: How to engage in the behavior

Question 16

Perceived Self-Efficacy (SCT)

Answer 16

(Bandura’s Contribution) What you perceive/think about your ability to do a behavior (can measure ones confidence on a scale); Task specific which is why we try to use fractal patterns (apply their skills to improve SE)- It is a perception and one of the biggest predictors of behavior

Question 17

Resilient SE (SCT)

Answer 17

Not as task specific (can apply but bleeds into other areas) Concept of perseverance even if conditions are not ideal (Ex. Going to go running but what happens if it rains? Someone with this SE will think of something else they can do instead of relying on things being perfect (Sometimes related to their values

Question 18

Behavioral Capacity (SCT)

Answer 18

Specific actions; Actual ability and resources/opportunity to do behavior (identify skills and find out if they do not know how to raise SE too); Most interventions target both behavioral capacity and SE which is most important in preparation and action (Fragile Period= Most at risk for not continuing)

Question 19

Example of Behavioral Capacity? (SCT)

Answer 19

Exercise Science people are most bias and least understanding because they believe that people are lazy which is why you need to support people to figure out what they need to do- If a person joins a gym they were motivated, not going to be offended by offering them membership because the hardest thing for most people to do is cross a threshold

Question 20

Outcome Expectations

Answer 20

Anticipated outcomes that stem from engaging in behavior (what people think they are going to get out of doing the behavior- Payoff) Looking for observable outcomes, This improves outcome expectations if you can see the level of immediacy; Behavior change is easiest when the benefits are short term and you can observe it (where there are benefits we focus on something that the person values and can notice a difference in)

Question 21

Observability (Outcome Expectations, SCT)

Answer 21

Not just outcome expectations but it is also about learning through watching

Question 22

Level of Immediacy (Outcome Expectations, SCT)

Answer 22

Short and long term gains

Question 23

Prevention Paradox (Outcome Expectations, SCT)

Answer 23

Difficult to get individuals to take actions because they are not feeling different, hard sell because it’s hard to wrap our brains around it/be motivated

Question 24

Fear Appeal (Outcome Expectations, SCT)

Answer 24

If someone’s mom is dealing with disease it is closer to them

Question 25

Goal Formation (SCT)

Answer 25

Breaking goals down makes them best to be achieved, people have a need for mastery, not being good at something but getting good (We naturally do that) Short term, progressive, and realistic goals keep people motivated (everyone needs another hill to climb), Measurable goals (Did I or did I not do it), Subgoals (What is it that going to make it happen); Every goal that you meet increases success and SE which increase motivation to continue

Question 26

Example of Goal Formation (SCT)

Answer 26

When you run your first 5k and think next time you will be faster or try a further race

Question 27

Socio-Structural Factors (SCT)

Answer 27

Perception of whether or not this is going to be a benefit to you but a combination of environmental and social factors; “Do you believe that you will be able to?” Things in the environment that impacts self-efficacy and ability to do the behavior (Parallel to perceived behavioral control)

Question 28

What are the major components of self-regulation?

Answer 28

Self-Monitoring, Goal Setting, Feedback, Self-Reward, Self-Instruction

Question 29

Self-Monitoring: (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 29

Two aspects, Observation and keeping track and measure (How do you feel, what is happening when that is happening to you); Do this to determine if you are doing an unhealthy behavior for a reason so you can take it away by figuring out what the benefit is and counterconditioning it (identify what’s going on right before you do it)

Question 30

Example of Self-Monitoring (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 30

Monitor to measure by keeping track (diet apps); Unhealthy food maybe because it’s easiest, you do it when you are stressed/bored

Question 31

Goal Setting (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 31

Behavioral goals not just outcome goals, you need short term goals (next steps) that are easily measurable and realistic to raise self-efficacy; Basically operationalizing our journey and taking actions when we know what to do

Question 32

Feedback (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 32

Input; Can be from a coach, data of information; If you are learning a new skill, feedback from someone telling you what you can do better; Information on your work towards your goal
(Ex. Phone tells what you were using screen time for)

Question 33

Self-Reward (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 33

Way to increase your outcome expectancy, need to put in some benefits and one way to do that is to increase your reward (external motivator) “What are you going to do at the end of the day if you do well?” (Not just after finished; Reinforces that success (Proximal rewards not just distal) Taking a moment to acknowledge getting that (Stop and celebrate); Self affirmation is a way to help make health behavior change

Question 34

Example of Self- Reward (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 34

If you do this to for an hour and a half, you get to watch 2 hours of hulu

Question 35

Self-Instruction (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 35

Internalizing outward instruction, guiding yourself through a task (Doing that cognizant) Has been found to contribute to success; Ex. Athletes do this all the time, everything from actual to physical instruction to taking yourself through it

Question 36

Enlistment of Social Support (Self-Reg, SCT)

Answer 36

What is your team; Identifying mentors and finding people that want to go the same thing you want to do or are doing (Can be in person or online, The people who who can understand and make it real) Universal human need for connection and the same is true for things you are doing for your health

Question 37

Why are the components of self regulation important to promote sustained change?

Answer 37

Things that people can do that are successful in behavior change and maintenance; Depending on the behavior itself what that persons needs is going to give us an idea of what are some of those important things; Support and respects autonomy which are basic human needs; Idea that you have to embrace that you are not responsible for that person’s health which is hard to absorb/embrace, Support them and become a partner rather than a delegator