4.5 Social-Cognitive and Trait Theories of Personality

Social-Cognitive Theory

A theory of learning that emphasizes the influence of social interactions, experiences, and observational learning on behavior and cognition.

Behavioral Approach

A perspective that focuses on observable behaviors and the ways they are learned through interaction with the environment.

Reciprocal Determinism

A concept by Albert Bandura suggesting that behavior, personal factors, and environmental influences all interact and influence each other.

Self

The individual's awareness of their own identity, traits, and experiences.

Self-Concept

A person's understanding and evaluation of their abilities, characteristics, and overall identity.

Self-Efficacy

The belief in one's own ability to successfully achieve goals and complete tasks.

Self-Esteem

An individual's overall sense of self-worth or personal value.

The Spotlight Effect

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others notice and evaluate our appearance, performance, and behavior.

Self-Serving Bias

The habit of attributing personal success to internal factors while blaming failures on external factors to maintain self-esteem.

Traits

Consistent patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that characterize an individual.

Personality Inventory

A questionnaire designed to measure various aspects of personality traits and characteristics.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

A widely used psychological test that assesses personality traits and psychopathology through a standardized questionnaire.

Empirically Derived Test

A test developed by selecting items that discriminate between different groups through empirical methods.

The Big Five Theory (Big Five Factors)

A personality model that outlines five broad dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability.

Agreeableness

A personality trait characterized by being compassionate, cooperative, and friendly.

Openness to Experience

A personality trait involving imagination, creativity, and a willingness to try new things.

Extraversion

A personality trait marked by outgoingness, sociability, and a preference for being around other people.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait associated with being organized, responsible, and diligent.

Emotional Stability

A personality trait characterized by the ability to remain calm and composed under stress, often referred to as the opposite of neuroticism.

Personality Inventories

Standardized assessments that evaluate personality traits and are typically used in psychological testing.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method used to identify clusters or groups of related items (factors) within a test or questionnaire.