Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

The Social Cognitive Perspective on Personality437The idea that a person’s conscious thought processes in different situationsstrongly influence his or her actions is one important characteristic of the social cognitiveperspective on personality (Cervone, 2004). According to the social cognitiveperspective, people actively process information from their social experiences. Thisinformation influences their goals, expectations, beliefs, and behavior, as well as thespecific environments they choose.The social cognitive perspective differs from psychoanalytic and humanistic perspectivesin several ways. First, rather than basing their approach on self-analysis orinsights derived from psychotherapy, social cognitive personality theorists rely heavilyon experimental findings. Second, the social cognitive perspective emphasizesconscious, self-regulated behavior rather than unconscious mental influences andinstinctual drives. And third, as in our English-versus-algebra-class example, thesocial cognitive approach emphasizes that our sense of self can vary, depending onour thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a given situation.Albert Bandura and Social Cognitive TheoryAlthough several contemporary personality theorists have embraced the social cognitiveapproach to explaining personality, probably the most influential is AlbertBandura (b. 1925). We examined Bandura’s classic research on observationallearning in Chapter 5. In Chapter 8, we encountered Bandura’s more recent researchon self-efficacy. Here, you’ll see how Bandura’s ideas on both these topics are reflectedin his personality theory, called social cognitive theory. Social cognitive theory emphasizesthe social origins of thoughts and actions but also stresses active cognitiveprocesses and the human capacity for self-regulation (Bandura, 2004b, 2006).As Bandura’s early research demonstrated, we learn many behaviors by observing,and then imitating, the behavior of other people. But, as Bandura (1997) has pointedout, we don’t merely observe people’s actions. We also observe the consequences thatfollow people’s actions, the rules and standards that apply to behavior in specific situations,and the ways in which people regulate their own behavior. Thus, environmentalinfluences are important, but conscious, self-generated goals and standards alsoexert considerable control over thoughts, feelings, and actions (Bandura, 2001).For example, consider your own goal of getting a college education. Nodoubt many social and environmental factors influenced your decision. In turn,your conscious decision to attend college determines many aspects of your currentbehavior, thoughts, and emotions. And your goal of attending college classesdetermines which environments you choose.Bandura (1986, 1997) explains human behavior and personalityas being caused by the interaction of behavioral, Behavioral factorscognitive, and environmental factors. He calls this processreciprocal determinism (see Figure 10.2). According to thisprinciple, each factor both influences the other factors and is influenced by theother factors. Thus, in Bandura’s view, our environment influences our thoughtsand actions, our thoughts influence our actions and the environments we choose,our actions influence our thoughts and the environments we choose, and so on ina circular fashion.The capacity to exercise control overthe nature and quality of life is theessence of humanness. Unless peoplebelieve they can produce desiredresults and forestall detrimental onesby their actions, they have littleincentive to act or persevere in theface of difficulties.ALBERT BANDURA (2001)Cognitive factorsEnvironmental factorsFigure 10.2 Reciprocal DeterminismSource: Bandura (1997).Beliefs of Self-EfficacyAnybody Here Know How to Fix a Light Switch?Collectively, a person’s cognitive skills, abilities, and attitudes represent the person’sself-system. According to Bandura (2001), it is our self-system that guides how weperceive, evaluate, and control our behavior in different situations. Bandura(2004b) has found that the most critical elements influencing the self-system areour beliefs of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy refers to the degree to which you are subjectivelyconvinced of your own capabilities and effectiveness in meeting the demandsof a particular situation.