Social Learning Theory and Locus of Control

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary motivation behind behaviors according to the concept of expected outcome?

Social approval from peers

Curiosity about others' actions

Anticipation of rewards or penalties (correct)

Internal locus of control

Which locus of control is associated with the belief that one's success is determined by personal skill and effort?

Behaviorist Locus of Control

External Locus of Control

Internal Locus of Control (correct)

Cognitive Locus of Control

What was the primary finding of the Bobo Doll Experiment conducted by Albert Bandura?

Children develop a preference for peaceful conflict resolution

Children show no behavioral change after observation

Children are likely to imitate aggression after observing it (correct)

Children prefer non-aggressive toys

How does Social Cognitive Theory differ from traditional learning theories?

It focuses on cognitive processes in learning Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects individuals with high self-efficacy?

They have a strong belief in their ability to influence events Signup and view all the answers

What influence does socioeconomic status have on locus of control according to recent studies?

Research has challenged earlier assumptions about SES and locus of control Signup and view all the answers

In the concept of reciprocal determinism, how are individuals and their environments connected?

Individuals influence their environment while being influenced by it Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning occurs when individuals observe and imitate the behaviors of others?

Observational Learning Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between neobehaviorists and traditional behaviorists?

Neobehaviorists emphasize objective measurement of behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a criticism of behaviorism?

It oversimplifies personality by focusing on reflexes. Signup and view all the answers

In what way has behaviorism been applied in health care?

To eliminate bad habits such as smoking and drinking. Signup and view all the answers

What core principle does neobehaviorism support?

Reductionist view of psychology. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of human behavior did traditional behaviorists mainly focus on?

Measurable behavior such as reflexes. Signup and view all the answers

What practical application of behaviorism was demonstrated by Zing-Yang Kuo?

Conditioning cats not to chase rats. Signup and view all the answers

What perspective is associated with behaviorism's clarity in complex environments?

Offering straightforward explanations of behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What overall optimism does behaviorism promote regarding personality?

Personality can evolve through environmental conditions. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Learning occurs in social environments, not just through reinforcement and conditioning.
Individuals learn through observing others, personal curiosity, direct instruction, and exposure to events.

Julian Rotter's Theory

Expected outcomes motivate behavior.
Individuals anticipate success or failure when choosing actions.

Locus of Control

Internal Locus of Control: People believe their actions are controlled by internal factors like skill and effort.
- Tend to be achievement-oriented, resist persuasion, and may be considered "difficult" patients.
External Locus of Control: People attribute events to external factors like luck, fate, or powerful others.
- More prone to gambling and less confident in their own control over outcomes.

Albert Bandura's Theory

Bobo Doll Experiment

Children observed adults behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll.
Children exposed to violence were more likely to imitate aggression.
Sparked debate about media violence and its influence on children's behavior.

Key Concepts

Observational Learning: Learning by watching others' behavior and its consequences.
Forms of Learning: Demonstration, Verbal Instruction, Symbolic Demonstration.
Learning is active, involving processing, retention, or forgetting information.

Reciprocal Determinism

Individuals influence their environment, and the environment influences them in turn.

Emphasizes cognitive processes like thinking, memory, and attention in social learning.

Self-Efficacy

Belief in one's ability to control their life and influence events.
High self-efficacy: Perseverance, resistance to stress, overcoming bad moods.
Low self-efficacy: Loss of motivation, prone to despair in challenging situations.

Neobehaviorism

Followed core behaviorist principles but differed in interpretations.
Emphasized objective measurement of behavior.
Supported the reductionist view: Focus on behavior and conditioning, not subjectivity.

Core Ideas and Contributions

Learned Reactions and Reflexes: Focus on measurable aspects of behavior like reflexes, reaction times, and emotional responses.

Applications

Applied to education, therapy, and professional training.
Provided clarity and commonsense conclusions about human behavior and personality.

Clarity in Complexity

Offered straightforward explanations in a complex world.
Emphasized psychology's potential contribution to education and healthcare.

Criticisms of Behaviorism

Reductionist and Simplistic: Oversimplified personality, reducing it to reflexes and learned behaviors.
Rejection of Subjectivity: Ignored subjective experiences, considered a limitation by many contemporary psychologists.

Optimism of Behaviorism

Promoted the idea that skills, habits, and personality could be shaped and changed through training and organized learning.
Applied in various fields such as education, business, law enforcement, and health care.

Applications of Behaviorism

Animal Psychology: Demonstrated that cats could be trained to override instinctive drives, like chasing rats.
Health Care: Applied to eliminate bad habits like smoking and drinking.

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Description

Explore the concepts of Social Learning Theory and Julian Rotter's theory of Locus of Control. Understand how individuals learn from their environment and the influence of internal and external factors on behavior. Dive into Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment to see the impact of observational learning.