Albert Bandura

Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory

emphasizes that we learn from our environment, can control our actions, and use different ways to justify our behavior

Observational Learning

Bandura believes that observation allows people to learn without performing any behavior. He also believes that this type of learning is much more efficient than learning through direct experience.

example- A student learns presentation skills by watching a classmate, then applies them later—showing learning through observation

Modeling

It is more than matching the actions of another; It involves symbolically representing information and storing it for use at a future time.

example- A child watches their parent cook, remembers the steps, and later applies them when cooking on their own

Observational learning requires

1.attention to a model

2.Organization and retention of observations

3.Behavioral production

4.Motivation to perform the modeled behavior.

Enactive learning

takes place when our responses produce consequences

Triadic Reciprocal Causation

Human functioning is a product of the mutual interaction of environmental events, behavior, and personal factors—a model called

Chance Encounter

as “an unintended meeting of persons unfamiliar to each other” (p. 95)

is an environmental experience that is unexpected and unintended

Human Agency

Means that people can and do exercise a measure of control over their lives.

Intentionality

refers to acts a person performs intentionally

Forethought

to set goals, to anticipate likely outcomes of their actions, and to select behaviors that will produce desired outcomes and avoid undesirable ones.

Self-Reactiveness

the process of motivating and regulating their own actions.

Self-Reflective

People’s most crucial self-reflective mechanism is self-efficacy: that is, their beliefs that they can perform actions that will produce a desired effect.

Self-Efficacy

refers to people’s belief that they can perform behaviors that can produce desired outcomes in a particular situation.

example- Imagine you have a big psychology exam coming up. If you believe that you can study effectively and pass the exam, you have high self-efficacy. This belief motivates you to prepare well, stay focused, and perform confidently during the test.

Proxy Agency

occurs when people have the capacity to rely on others for goods and services.

Collective Efficacy

refers to the confidence that groups of people have that their combined efforts will produce social change.

External Factors in Self-Regulation

provide us with standards for evaluating our behavior as well as external reinforcement in the form of rewards received from others.

Dysfunctional Behavior

such as depression, phobias, and aggression, are acquired through the reciprocal interaction of environment, personal factors, and behavior.

Therapy

Social cognitive therapy emphasizes cognitive mediation, especially perceived self-efficacy.