Social-Cognitive Learning Theories Flashcards

Social-Cognitive Learning Theories

• Key theorists: Rotter, Bandura, & Miller

Thoughts and Criticism of Conditioning

• Conditioning theories can explain:
    - Attitude formation and preferences through emotional conditioning.
    - How behaviors are strengthened and weakened.

• However, they are seen as incomplete due to:
    - Observational Learning: People learn by watching others.
    - Cognitive Processing: Decisions are based on thinking about possible outcomes rather than merely responding to stimuli.

New Theoretical Approaches

• A shift towards cognitive and social learning theories, which focus on mental events and social aspects of learning.

Social-Cognitive Theories Framework

• Three Fundamental Factors Determining Personality Development:
    1. Environmental Conditions:
       - Includes social, political, cultural context, and specific learning experiences.
    2. Cognitive-Personality Factors:
       - Incorporates beliefs, expectations, values, intentions, social roles, emotional states, as well as biological and genetic determinants.
    3. Behavior:
       - Encompasses all actions and activities, including verbal expressions.

• Together, these factors determine information evaluation, interpretation, organization, and usage.

New Principles of Social-Cognitive Theories

• Social Reinforcement:
    - Learning is driven by social approval or disapproval rather than mere reduction of physical needs.
    - Reinforcers include attention, interest, smiles, hugs, frowns, etc.

• Self-Reinforcement:
    - Individuals respond to their own behaviors with approval or disapproval (internal self-reinforcement).
    - Can include internal self-punishment.

• Vicarious Emotional Arousal:
    - Experiencing events indirectly through others, enhancing empathy and learning opportunities (vicarious emotional conditioning).

• Vicarious Reinforcement:
    - Behavior changes after witnessing reinforcement or punishment received by others, deducing that similar actions may yield rewards or consequences.

Expectancies in Social-Cognitive Learning

• Expectancies:
    - Mental models linking actions to outcomes.
    - Reinforcers provide insight into effective actions and motivate future behaviors via anticipation.

• Efficacy Expectancies:
    - Represent self-efficacy; confidence in the ability to perform desired actions is crucial for effective therapy and self-esteem (Bandura).

• Role of Awareness:
    - Conditioning requires awareness of correlations; reinforcement is effective only when reinforced behaviors are recognized.

J. Rotter's Contributions

• Personality operates as both a self-determining and adaptive system influenced by environmental conditions.

• History of Reinforcement:
    - Shapes individual expectations about outcomes, guiding behavior through cognitive components.

• Interaction between personality and environment influences behavior.

Rotter's Social Learning Theory

• Behavior is not solely dependent on rewards but on Behavioral Potential:
    - Definition: The probability of a behavior occurring among various potentials in a given situation.
    - Influenced by expected reinforcement and its value to the individual.

Locus of Control (Rotter)

Internal Locus of Control

• Belief that one can determine their future.

• Passion and hard work lead to achieving goals.

• Active control over one’s life.

External Locus of Control

• Belief that the future is beyond personal control.

• Passively accepts outcomes driven by luck, fate, or divine will.

Manifestations of Locus of Control

• Examples of Internal vs. External beliefs:
    - "If I work hard, I will succeed." (Internal)
    - "Most things are not in my control." (External)

• Reinforces perception of control in achieving success.

A. Bandura's Contributions

• Reciprocal Determinism:
    - Interaction among personal factors, the environment, and behavior; emphasizes mutual influence rather than mere reaction to environmental factors.

• Individuals utilize conscious cognitive capacities for understanding and representing events systematically.

• Fundamental capabilities include:
    - Symbolization
    - Vicarious experiences
    - Forethought/prediction
    - Self-regulation
    - Self-reflection

Symbolization in Learning

• Represents events and relationships in symbolic form, allowing transformation of experiences into cognitive models.

• Enables problem-solving without immediate behavioral change; cognitive guidance based on stored information.

Observational Learning

• Occurs when an individual observes an action performed by another and acquires the ability to repeat it (Bandura, 1986; Flanders, 1968).

• Observer should not previously associate behavior with the context.

• Facilitates quick learning of substantial information (e.g., during infancy).

Influential Factors in Observational Learning

• Characteristics affecting observational learning:
    - Strength of relationship with the model (e.g., attachment).
    - Similarity (e.g., gender).
    - Model’s status, power, and competence.
    - Attractiveness of the model.

• Pertinent context: acquisition of gender roles and aggressive behaviors.

Generalization in Observational Learning

• Generalization of Semantic Meaning:
    - Similar stimuli evoke similar responses.
    - Example: the word "divorce" links to courtroom concepts.

• Learning not just of specific behaviors but also implicit rules and principles; notable in language learning—overgeneralization of rules.

Symbolic Modeling and Anticipation

• Information about behavior and outcomes transmittable through verbal or visual channels; models can be fictional (e.g., fairy-tale characters).

• Foresight:
    - Anticipating behavior consequences aids in regulating actions towards desired states.
    - Establishes outcome expectations and goal-oriented behavior.

Self-Regulation in Learning

• Requires:
    - Self-observation and evaluation.

• Self-Reflection:
    - Ability to evaluate one’s own thoughts and actions, correcting cognitive errors.

Variables in Observational Learning

• Attention and Retention:
    - Importance of attending to appropriate aspects of the model.
    - Memory retention through imaginal or verbal coding strategies.

• Production:
    - Translating learned concepts into actions; relies on prior knowledge of components.

• Acquisition vs Performance:
    - Individuals learn more than they perform; outcome expectations influence execution.

Summary of Influential Variables in Observational Learning

Expectancy in Bandura's Framework

• Self-Efficacy Expectation:
    - Two types:
      1. Outcome Expectancy: Expectations regarding reinforcement.
      2. Self-Efficacy Expectancy: Belief in one's ability to perform an action.

• Core question revolves around the capacity to perform tasks successfully.

Perceived Self-Efficacy

• Self-efficacy influences willingness and effort; enhances likelihood of achieving tasks.

• Typically associated with specific behaviors and their outcomes.

Mechanisms of Self-Efficacy

• Cognitive Processes & Goal Setting:
    - Shapes thinking patterns and ambition.

• Motivations:
    - Affects effort and perseverance, with slight overconfidence improving outcomes.

• Emotional Impact:
    - Influences stress levels during challenges and guides choices in environments (e.g., career decisions).

Sources of Self-Efficacy

1. Personal experiences (successes or failures).

2. Vicarious experiences (learning through observation).

3. Social persuasion (encouragement or discouragement).

4. Physiological and emotional states.
      - Positive states elevate self-efficacy, negative states diminish it.

Bandura's Concept of Reinforcement

1. Social Reinforcement: Praise, attention, acceptance.

2. Self-Reinforcement: Self-administered rewards or punishments (pride, guilt).

3. Vicarious Reinforcement: Learning via observing others receiving rewards or punishments.

Observational Learning Summary

• More effective than classical or operant conditioning.

• Core learning mechanism for behaviors and attitudes, starting early in life.

• Learns from models’ successes and mistakes.

• Encourages creativity and new behaviors while relying on internal evaluations of conduct.

Bobo Doll Experiment Overview

1. Children view a film depicting an adult performing aggressive acts towards a doll.

2. Experimental Conditions:
      - Model rewarded by another adult (praise + candy).
      - No consequences for the model.
      - Model punished by another adult (verbal and physical reprimand).

3. Children observed the doll for 10 minutes, followed by a recall task (juice and stickers offered).

Results of the Bobo Doll Experiment

• Performance Dependence:
    - Action performance varied based on expectations of consequences, with behavior still being learned regardless of immediate expression.

Problematic Behavior and Observational Learning

• Emphasizes vicarious conditioning, expectancies, and observational learning.

• Indirect experiences can trigger emotional responses; behaviors are mediated by expectancies.

• Behavioral deficits may stem from inadequate observational learning and flawed social expectations.

Modeling-Based Therapy Applications

• Targeted at skill deficits;
    - Client encouraged to engage in skills through direct or mental practice.
    - Utilizes vicarious reinforcements to build self-efficacy.

• Applied to emotional challenges (fears):
    - Mastery Model: Shows no fear, encouraging vicarious extinction.
    - Coping Model: Displays fear but handles it effectively (mentally supported by observers).

• Participant Modeling:
    - Model demonstrates behavior in front of the client, who then replicates it with assistance, followed by independent practice.

Impact and Criticism of Social-Cognitive Approach

Pros:

• Easily researched and thoroughly tested with substantial empirical evidence.

• Effective cognitive-behavioral techniques with simplicity.

Cons & Criticism:

• Research can oversimplify complexities of behavior.

• Lacks depth in personality theory, focusing mainly on behavioral determinants.