Albert Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory Flashcards

A complete set of 100 vocabulary flashcards covering Albert Bandura's life, Social Cognitive Theory, the Bobo Doll experiment, and the mechanics of observational learning and self-efficacy.

Behavioral Approach

The psychological school of thought to which Albert Bandura’s work initially belonged.

Social Learning Theory (SLT)

A theory suggesting that personality is shaped by reinforcement as well as learning through observation and imitation.

Reinforcement

A factor that influences directing behavior, though Bandura argues it is not the only factor.

Observation

The process through which we learn behavior by watching others, according to Bandura.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs by watching others, known as models.

Imitation and Modelling

Behavior that is reproduced by seeing other people, referred to as the model.

Vicarious Reinforcement

Learning by observing the outcome of others’ actions to determine if the behavior is desirable or undesirable.

Outcome Observation

Part of vicarious reinforcement where the observer analyzes if the model's behavior was scrutinized or reinforced by society.

Identification via Environment

The process of using the environment to help identify whether or not to imitate an observed behavior.

The Bobo Doll Experiment (1961)

A study demonstrating that children can learn behavior simply by watching others without direct reinforcement.

Experimental Group (Bobo study)

A group of children exposed to a violent video of an adult punching and kicking the Bobo doll before being placed in a laboratory.

Control Group (Bobo study)

The group of children in the experiment who were not exposed to a violent video and did not become violent.

Violent Video (Bobo study)

A stimulus showing an adult punching and kicking the doll where no one corrected the behavior as unacceptable.

Direct Reinforcement

A traditional behaviorist concept that Bandura proved was not necessary for learning to occur.

Proper Supervision

A factor that, when absent, may lead children to simply imitate observable behavior whether it is right or wrong.

Verbal Modeling

A technique that induces certain behaviors by providing instructions or fully explaining activities, such as teaching how to drive.

Disinhibition

The weakening of an inhibition or restraint through exposure to a model, such as people starting a riot in a crowd.

Bad Models

Models that display negative behaviors, such as parents showing fear during thunderstorms, which children may adopt into adulthood.

Positive behaviors

Learned traits such as strength, courage, and optimism acquired from parents and other models.

Characteristics of the Modeling Situation

The specific traits of the model and the observer that influence the likelihood of imitation.

Models Who Are Like Us

The principle that we are more influenced by models who appear similar to us in obvious and significant ways.

Age and Sex of Models

Factors suggesting we are likely to model behavior after someone our own age and of the same sex.

Status of Models

Factors like prestige that influence how likely a model is to be imitated.

High complex behaviors

Actions that are not imitated as quickly and readily as simpler behaviors.

Hostile and aggressive behaviors

Types of behaviors that tend to be strongly imitated, especially by children.

Infant modeling requirement

The necessity for modeled behavior to be repeated several times after an infant's initial attempt to duplicate it.

Sensorimotor development range

The developmental boundary within which a behavior must fall for an infant to successfully model it.

Reinforcement for Younger Children

Commonly involves tangible rewards such as food.

Reinforcement for Older Children

Commonly involves social rewards such as signs of approval.

Attributes of the Observers

Internal characteristics, such as self-confidence or self-esteem, that affect the likelihood of imitation.

Low Self-Confidence/Self-Esteem

Attributes that make people much more likely to imitate a model’s behavior.

The Processes of Observational Learning

The specific stages required for observational learning, including attention, retention, production, and incentive.

Attentional Processes

Developing cognitive and perceptual skills to pay sufficient attention to a model to perceive displayed behavior accurately.

Retention Processes

Remembering the model’s behavior using mental images and verbal descriptions to repeat it at a later time.

Production Processes

Translating mental images or verbal representations of a model’s behavior into overt physical behavior.

Incentive and Motivational Processes

Perceiving that a model’s behavior leads to a reward and expecting the same consequence for oneself.

Driver’s Education Class (Attention)

An example of attentional processes, specifically staying awake to perceive instructions.

Note-taking (Retention)

An example of retention processes used to store a driver's actions for later recall.

Practicing Shifting Gears (Production)

An example of production processes where mental representations are turned into physical practice and feedback.

Receiving a Driver's License (Incentive)

An example of an incentive process where the expectation of a reward motivates performance.

Reciprocal Determinism

Proposed the idea that personality is influenced by the constant interaction of person, behavior, and environment.

Factor: Person

One of the three factors in reciprocal determinism including cognitive factors and emotions.

Factor: Behavior

One of the three factors in reciprocal determinism including actions, efforts, and choices.

Factor: Environment

One of the three factors in reciprocal determinism including social and environmental influences.

Active Participants

The role of person, behavior, and environment in shaping one's behavior according to reciprocal determinism.

Hostile Environment Interaction

The concept that if an environment is undesirable, an observer may choose not to imitate it unless the environment supports it.

Self-Reinforcement

Self-administered reinforcement that can be tangible or emotional.

Tangible Self-Reinforcement

Purchasing physical objects for oneself, such as new gym shoes or a car, as a reward.

Emotional Self-Reinforcement

Feelings of pride or satisfaction resulting from a job well done.

Self-administered punishment

Internalized negative consequences such as feelings of shame, guilt, or depression for not meeting personal standards.

Self-Efficacy

The belief in one’s own ability to succeed in a specific situation.

High Self-efficacy

A state where individuals engage in challenging tasks, persist through difficulties, and use adaptive coping strategies.

Low Self-efficacy

A state where individuals avoid challenging situations, give up easily, and feel helpless.

Self-esteem vs. Self-Efficacy

The distinction that while high self-efficacy often links to high self-esteem, not all individuals with high self-esteem possess high self-efficacy.

Sources of Self-Efficacy

The four origins of self-belief: Mastery Experiences, Vicarious Experience, Social Persuasion, and Emotional States.

Mastery Experiences

The most influential source of self-efficacy, where past successes increase belief in one's ability through consistency and effort.

Vicarious Experience

A source of self-efficacy where observing others' successes and failures leads to imitating their traits.

Social Persuasion

The encouragement or discouragement received from others that influences self-belief depending on the perception of the feedback.

Emotional States

Positive or negative emotions that can influence an individual's level of self-confidence.

Group Self-Efficacy

A shared belief among a group of people that they can succeed together.

Behavior Modification Modeling

Using modeling as an effective way to relearn or change behavior, such as helping children overcome a fear of dogs.

Guided Participation

A behavior modification technique involving watching a live model and then participating with that model.

Covert Modeling

A technique where subjects imagine a model coping with a threatening situation without actually seeing the model.

CBT (Cognitive-behavioral therapies)

A modern therapy approach that builds on Bandura’s ideas of self-efficacy and observational learning.

Cognitive Factors

Elements included under the 'Person' factor of reciprocal determinism, along with emotions.

Adaptive coping strategies

Methods used by people with high self-efficacy when facing difficulties.

Manifested actions

What 'Behavior' refers to in the triad of reciprocal determinism.

Hostile behaviors (Children)

Simpler behaviors that are strongly and quickly imitated by children during modeling.

Sensorimotor development

The developmental stage an infant must be at to duplicate a modeled behavior.

Social Persuasion feedback

External messages whose impact on self-efficacy depends on how the individual perceives them.

Consistency, time, and effort

The requirements for Mastery Experiences to effectively increase self-efficacy.

Mental images

Cognitive representations used in the retention process to store a model's behavior.

Verbal descriptions

The use of words to encode and remember a model's actions during the retention phase.

Physical practice

The actual execution of a behavior during the production process stage.

Shame and guilt

Emotional expressions of self-administered punishment for failing to behave as intended.

Challenging tasks

The type of activities people with high self-efficacy are more likely to engage in.

Helplessness

A feeling often experienced by individuals with low self-efficacy when they give up on tasks.