Behavioral, Biological, and Social Cognitive theories

behaviorism

personality changes according to the environment; shaped by reinforcements, rewards/punishments

social-cognitive approach

emphasizes the role of conscious thoughts in observational learning, self efficacy, situational influences, and cognitive processes (Albert Bandura)

self efficacy

our own beliefs in our abilities

reciprocal determinism

the environment determines behavior, but behavior also determines the environment

learned helplessness

when unable to avoid repeated averse events, an animal/human learns hopelessness, leading to a lower sense of self efficacy.

Defensive Pessimism

set low goals to cushion defeat. Anxiety can cause us to work harder and accomplish our goal. 

Excessive Optimism

blind to one’s own incompetence

explanatory styles

your way of explaining positive or negative events. 

Pygmalion effect

high expectations improve our behavior and therefore our performance in a given area: we do better when more is expected of us