4.5 - Social-Cognitive and Trait Theories of Personality

Social-Cognitive Theory

explains how people learn by observing others, interacting with their environment, and experiencing the consequences of their actions

Behavioral Approach

focuses on how individuals learn through interactions with their environment, emphasizing observable behaviors and the principles of conditioning

Reciprocal Determinism

Albert Bandura’s theory that a person’s behavior, environment, and personal factors all influence and shape each other

Self-Concept

individual’s perception of themselves, including their beliefs, values, and identity, which influences behavior

Self-Efficacy

individual's belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations and accomplish tasks

Self-Esteem

one’s overall sense of self-worth and personal value, shaped by experiences and social comparisons

The Spotlight Effect

belief that others are paying more attention to us and our actions than they actually are

Self-Serving Bias

attributing our successes to our efforts and qualities while attributing our failures to external factors

Traits

characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act on conscious motives

Personality Inventory

psychological assessment tool that measures and evaluates various aspects of an individual's personality, such as traits, behaviors, and attitudes

The Big 5 Theory

suggests that personality can be described by five broad dimensions: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN)

Openness to Experience

degree to which a person is curious, open to new experiences

Conscientiousness

tendency to be organized and dependable, show self-discipline

Extraversion

energy, positive emotions, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others

Agreeableness

tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others

Neuroticism (emotional stability vs. instability)

tendency to experience emotional instability, anxiety

Factor analysis

statistical method used to describe variability among observed, correlated variables; e.g. someone described as "conscientious" is more likely to be described as "always prepared" rather than "messy"