Social cognitive theory was developed in 1941 by N.E. Miller and J. Dollard. It is a learning theory that is based on the idea that people learn behaviours by watching what other people around them do and dont do. These processes help us obtain a greater knowledge of understanding personality. Albert Bandura expanded this area of learning in 1962. Both himself and Walter Mischel are the most common theorists associated within this area.
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Personality and Bandura:
Bandura main theoretical points is the concept of observational learning. Bandura argued that reinforcement does not just work as a mechanism, it provides information of the next reinforcement o be be given once the behaviour is repeated. Bandura agreed with the statement that environment causes behavior but he says that behavior can cause environment as well, being a two way process. The theory is called reciprocal determinism.
Personality and Mischel:
Mischel's theory of personality is quite similar to Bandura's , Mischel states that an persons behavior is influences by two things- the cause of the situation and the way in which he perceives the situation. Mischel argues with the traditional social cognitive theories, he says that an individual only behaves in a similar way when these actions are likely to produce the same result. Mischel stressed that we have individual differences , so our values and expectancies must be thought about when predicting a person's personality and behavior.
According to Mischel, there are five variables that contribute to the condition's of a certain situation. They are used in how we predict how a person is going to probably behave. These are:
Competencies- this is our intellectual capabilities and our social skills.
Cognitive strategies- Our different perceptions of events that happen. EG. what we think is frightening for us ourselves may be challenging for a different person.
Expectancies- the results that are expected of behaviors.
Subjective Values- the respective value of the possible outcomes of behaviours.
Self-regulatory systems- the rules and standards that people adjust to control their behaviours.
Personality and Bandura:
Bandura main theoretical points is the concept of observational learning. Bandura argued that reinforcement does not just work as a mechanism, it provides information of the next reinforcement o be be given once the behaviour is repeated. Bandura agreed with the statement that environment causes behavior but he says that behavior can cause environment as well, being a two way process. The theory is called reciprocal determinism.
Personality and Mischel:
Mischel's theory of personality is quite similar to Bandura's , Mischel states that an persons behavior is influences by two things- the cause of the situation and the way in which he perceives the situation. Mischel argues with the traditional social cognitive theories, he says that an individual only behaves in a similar way when these actions are likely to produce the same result. Mischel stressed that we have individual differences , so our values and expectancies must be thought about when predicting a person's personality and behavior.
According to Mischel, there are five variables that contribute to the condition's of a certain situation. They are used in how we predict how a person is going to probably behave.
These are: