Behavior and learning theories

Concept of Humanity BF Skinner Albert Bandura Julian Rotter and Walter Mischel George Kelly
Behavioral Analysis Social Cognitive Theory Cognitive Social Learning Theory Psychology of Personal Construc
Determinism vs. Deterministic People are controlled High on Freedom Although people are Middles position People move in the More on Freedom People are free
Freedom by environmental affected by both their direction of goals they choices within
forces and when they environment and their have established for personal const
control their own lives, experiences with themselves. Free choice system.
they do so by reinforcement, is limited however
manipulating their they have the power to because past
environment, which in mold these two experiences and limits
turn shapes their external conditions. to personal
behavior. competencies partially
determine behavior.
Optimism vs. Optimism Behavior is shaped by Optimism People are capable of Middle position People can be taught More on Optimism Kelly saw peop
Pessimism the principles of learning new behaviors constructive strategies anticipating th
reinforcement, the by imitating the for problem solving and and living their
species is quite productive behaviors of that they are capable accordance wi
adaptable. People, others and by using of learning new anticipations.
therefore, learn to live their cognitive abilities behaviors at any point
quite harmoniously to solve problems. in life. However, both
with their environment. do not hold that people
have within themselves
an inherent force that
moves them inevitably
in the direction of
psychological growth.
Causality vs. High on Causality Behavior is caused by Middle position Although future events Teleological People are goal- More on Teleological All human acti
Teleology the person’s history of cannot motivate directed, cognitive directed by the
reinforcement as well people, their animals whose people anticipa
as by the species’ conception of the perceptions of events events. Kelly’s
contingencies for future can and does are more crucial than of elaborative
survival and by the regulate present the events themselves. suggests that p
evolution of cultures. behavior. People move They place positive increase their r
Although people with a purpose toward value on those events future choices
behave covertly when goals that they have that they perceive as present choice
thinking about the set, but motivation moving them closer to make.
future, all those exists in neither their goals.
thoughts are the past nor the future;
 determined by past it is contemporary.
experiences.
Conscious vs. More on Unconscious People rarely have High on Conscious Self-regulation of Conscious People can consciously More on Conscious High levels of
Unconscious knowledge of the actions relies on self- set goals for themselves (cognitive awareness) awareness refe
relationship between all monitoring, judgment, and consciously strive those psycholo
genetic and and self-reaction, all of to solve old and new processes that
environmental variables which are ordinarily problem. However, symbolized in
and their own behavior. conscious during the people are not always words and can
learning situation. After aware of the underlying accurately exp
learnings are well motivations for much of Low-level proc
established they may their behavior. incompletely
become unconscious. symbolized and
difficult or imp
communicate.
Biological vs. Social More on Social Humans have Social influences Social factors are clearly More on Social Rotter stressed the More on Social When people a
Influences influences developed to their form (Middle position) more crucial to the influences importance of learning influences construe the
because of particular environment (E) and within a social constructions o
environmental behavior (B) variable in environment. Mischel another person
factors that they have the triadic reciprocal also highlighted may play a role
encountered. causation paradigm but social influences, but he social process
Bandura also recognizes does not overlook the involving that o
that genetics importance of genetic person.
contributes to the factors.
person (P) variable.
Uniqueness vs. More on Uniqueness Biological differences Uniqueness Because people have a Middle position People have individual More on Uniqueness Individual
Similarities molds unique remarkable flexibility histories and unique interpretations
individuals and because and capacity for experiences that allow events are cruc
each human has a learning, individual them to set that no two pe
singular history of differences exist among personalized goals, but ever have prec
reinforcement them. Bandura’s there are also enough the same perso
contingencies, behavior emphasis on similarities among constructs.
and personality are uniqueness, however, people to allow for the
relatively unique. is moderated by construction of
biological and social mathematical formulas
influences, both of that would permit
which contribute to reliable and accurate
some similarities among prediction of behavior.
people.
Concepts of humanity can be discussed from 6 perspectives:

1. Determinism vs. Free will “Are people’s behaviors determined by forces over which they have no control, or can people choose to be what they wish to be?”

Determinism - outside the individual, a position known as environmental determinism

Free will - personal agency is the humanistic term for the exercise of free will and it refers to the choices we make in life, the paths we go down and their consequences

2. Pessimism vs. optimism “Are people doomed to live miserable, conflicted, and troubled lives, or can they change and grow into psychologically healthy, happy, fully functioning human beings?”

3. Causality vs. teleology “Do people act as they do because of what has happened to them in the past, or do they act as they do because they have certain expectations of what will happen in the future?”

Causality - the principle that everything has a cause.

Teleology - the explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by postulated causes.

4. Conscious vs. unconscious determinants “Are people ordinarily aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it, or do unconscious forces impinge on them and drive them to act without
awareness of these underlying forces?”
5. Biological vs. social factors “Are people mostly creatures of biology, or are their personalities shaped largely by their social relationships?”

6. Uniqueness vs. similarities in people “Should the study of personality concentrate on those traits that make people alike, or should it look at those traits that make people different?”