All Begins with Behavior

• Only behavior is observable and therefore able to be studied

  • Ignoring for the time being modern methods of measuring brain activity

  • Internal factors (cognition) are not observable or measurable, they are in the “black box”

• Behaviorism proposes that personality is a function of the environment

• Personality is predictable, based on the history of reinforcements and punishments

• Inconsistences in personality or behavior are explained by the situation, not internal factors

• B.F. Skinner is one of the founders of this ideology

• To many psychologists, it felt like there had to be more, or that something was missing

Social Cognitive Theories

• These psychologists who wanted more proposed that personality is due to a combination of environmental conditions, behavior, and cognitive factors

  • This opens the “black box” and introduces influence from internal factors

• Theorists like Julian Rotter and Albert Bandra expanded on the ideas of behaviorism and introduced new concepts

• The research followed to support their new theories

  • The “Bobo doll” study showed the effects of aggressiveness, modeling, and learning from example

Rotter’s Expectancy Theory

• We learn what to expect in different situations

• Our behavior is governed by those expectations and how much we care about the outcome

• Your belief in your own ability to affect the outcome is referred to as “locus of control”

  • An internal locus of control is when you have high expectations of being able to exert some control over the situation

  • External locus of control is when you believe the outcome is determined by factors outside your control such as fate or luck

• Born with all capabilities but external factors determine if we reach full potential

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

• Personality is learned in a social situation

• There are 3 main components: observational learning, self-efficacy, and reciprocal determinism

• Observational learning is seeing something modeled, then replicating it

• Self-efficacy is one’s own level of belief in their ability to be successful or not at a specific task

• Reciprocal determinism is the interaction of your mental state, your behavior, and the environment

  • All of these factors can affect the others