The Behavioural/Social Learning Approach - Relevant Research: Chapter 14

gender roles

societal expectations and norms for how individuals should behave, speak, dress, and conduct themselves based on their assigned gender

tradition gender roles

• expect men to be aggressive, independent and unemotional

• expect women to be passive, dependent, and affectionate

why do men and women behave in certain ways?

due to the life long process of gender socialization

• we learn gender appropriate behaviours which are often reinforced

they are also acquired through observational learning

what makes a person masculine or feminine?

people who act in ways that fit the fit traditional role expectations for men and those who act like the traditional role expectations for women are perceived feminine

agency

refers to independence, assertiveness, and control and is similar to masculinity

communion

refer to attachment, cooperation, and interpersonal connection and is similair to femininity

androgynous

refers to individuals who score high on both femininity and masculinity

• exhibit both masculine and feminine traits highly

undifferentiated

consists of individual who score low on both femininity and masculinity

gender types and well-being: what makes a person happier?

• the key to well-being is having the flexibility respond as needed in either a traditionally masculine or feminine manner

when are people labeled unmitigated?

• when they are not only high in one extreme (communion or agency) but are also low in the opposite trait

  • leading to a lack of balance in their personality

individuals high in unmitigated communion

can become so concerned with taking care of others they sacrifice their own needs and interests

• have difficulty asserting themselves, making them vulnerable to exploitation

• score low on measures of well-being

• experience higher levels of depression

individuals high in unmitigated agency

• tend to be narcissistic, and insensitive

• their interaction with others tend to be unpleasant and strange

• have difficultly seeking help

bandura’s four step model

states that observational learning has 4 interrelated processes

1. attend

   • have to pay attention to the aggressive behaviour

2. remember

   • remember information about the model’s behaviour

3. enact

   • they must come into a situation

4. expect

   • expect that the behaviour will lead to positive outcomes

mass media and aggression

• viewing aggression increases the likelihood of acting aggressively

• effects are short lived

violent video games

• players engage in aggressive behaviours and are often rewarded

• more realistic the stringer the effect

learned helplessness

Learned helplessness is a psychological state where an individual, after repeatedly experiencing an uncontrollable negative situation, becomes passive and stops trying to change their circumstances, even when they have the opportunity to do so

• involves a belief that one's actions cannot influence the outcome, leading to a lack of motivation and effort

applications of learned helplessness

• elderly may generalize their experiences of loss of control, leading to decreased motivation and increased risk of depression and anxiety.

learned helplessness and psychological disorders

exposure to uncontrollable events can lead to depression

• people who experience success at controlling events overcome feelings of depression

locus control and well-being

• internals tend to be higher then externals

• there is a connection between locus of control and 3 common markers of well-being

locus of control and 3 common markers of well-being

1. psychological disorders

   • people suffering from psychological disorders tend to be more external then internal

2. achievement

   • internal students receive higher grades and better teacher evaluations then external students

3. psychotherapy results

   • internals respond well when given control in therapy

   • externals do well when treatments remain in the therapists hands

locus of control and health

• internals are better in health then externals

• people who take external orientation towards their health believe there is little they can do to improve their health