Chapter 17: Rotter & Mischel – Cognitive Social Learning Theory

Vocabulary flashcards covering major concepts, variables, and constructs from Rotter’s and Mischel’s Cognitive Social Learning Theory, suitable for exam review.

Behavior Potential (BP)

The likelihood that a specific behavior will occur in a particular situation, determined by expectancy and reinforcement value.

Expectancy (E)

A person’s subjective belief that a given behavior will lead to a specific reinforcement in a particular situation.

Reinforcement Value (RV)

The degree of preference a person places on a possible reinforcement when expectancies are equal.

Psychological Situation (s)

The complex pattern of internal and external cues perceived by an individual at a given moment.

Basic Prediction Formula

Rotter’s equation stating that BP = f(E + RV) within a specific situation.

Generalized Expectancy (GE)

A broad, learned expectancy that certain behaviors will be followed by reinforcement across many situations.

Need

Any behavior or set of behaviors perceived as moving a person toward a goal; essentially the person–focused label for a goal.

Need Potential (NP)

The possible occurrence of a set of functionally related behaviors directed at the same or similar goals.

Freedom of Movement (FM)

The average expectancy that a set of related behaviors will be reinforced; analogous to expectancy in the general formula.

Need Value (NV)

The average preference for a class of reinforcements that satisfy a particular need.

General Prediction Formula

NP = f(FM + NV); used to predict sets of behaviors aimed at satisfying needs.

Internal-External Locus of Control

A generalized expectancy regarding whether reinforcement is controlled by personal actions (internal) or external forces such as luck or powerful others (external).

Interpersonal Trust

A generalized expectancy that the word, promise, or statement of another person or group can be relied on.

Empirical Law of Effect

Rotter’s definition of reinforcement as any event that moves an individual toward a goal.

Maladaptive Behavior

Persistent actions that fail to move a person toward desired goals, often arising from high need value coupled with low freedom of movement.

Consistency Paradox

Mischel’s observation that people believe behavior is consistent, yet empirical evidence shows considerable variability across situations.

Person–Situation Interaction

The idea that behavior results from the dynamic interplay between stable personal characteristics and specific situational cues.

Cognitive-Affective Personality System (CAPS)

Mischel & Shoda’s model proposing that stable personality dispositions interact with cognitive-affective units to produce patterned variability in behavior.

Behavior Signature

An individual’s characteristic pattern of variability: “If situation A, then behavior X; if situation B, then behavior Y.”

Encoding Strategies

Personal ways of categorizing and interpreting information from the environment, including self-concept and views of others.

Competencies & Self-Regulatory Strategies

A person’s skills, knowledge, and self-directed plans that guide behavior toward goals.

Behavior-Outcome Expectancy

A belief that performing a particular behavior will lead to a specific outcome.

Stimulus-Outcome Expectancy

A belief about the likely consequences that follow certain environmental stimuli.

Goals & Values

Internal standards and desired outcomes that help direct attention, influence expectancies, and guide behavior.

Affective Responses

Emotions and physiological reactions that interact with cognitions to influence behavior.

Delay of Gratification

The ability to postpone immediate, smaller rewards in favor of larger, future rewards; a key research topic for Mischel.

Empirical Support for Internal Control

Research showing that people high in internal locus of control tend to be more socially responsible, achievement-oriented, and resistant to persuasion.

Psychotherapy (Rotter)

A problem-solving social interaction aimed at aligning need value with freedom of movement by changing goals or raising expectancies.

Destructive Goal Conflict

A situation in which two valued goals are incompatible, often leading to maladjustment until goal values are reorganized.

Cluster of Reinforcements

Rotter’s term for sequences of reinforcements that collectively increase the value of each event within the sequence.