THEORITICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study assumes that as the environment changes, the individual will follow suit that
could transform them into defiant.

This assumption is anchored by the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of Albert Bandura.

Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)

For this study, we used Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory (SLT), which was first
evolved into the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) in 1986. SCT posits that learning is an
interactive process that occurs within a social context. The theory emphasizes both external and
internal reinforcement, with a focus on how social influence affects behavior. SCT takes into
account an individual's past experiences and how they affect their expectations and
reinforcement. This shapes whether someone will engage in a behavior and the reasons why they
would do so. In essence, SCT argues that people acquire and maintain behaviors through a
dynamic and reciprocal interaction of the person, environment, and behavior, with social
influence and external and internal reinforcement playing a crucial role.

Many theories utilized in health promotion disregard the importance of maintaining

behaviors over time. This is a significant limitation, as the true goal of public health is to
facilitate long-term behavioral change. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), on the other hand,
focuses on understanding how individuals regulate their behavior through control and
reinforcement to achieve goal-directed behavior that can be maintained over time. Initially
developed as the Social Learning Theory (SLT), SCT evolved to incorporate the construct of
self-efficacy, which focuses on an individual's belief in their ability to initiate and successfully
perform specific health behaviors. Thus, SCT provides a more comprehensive understanding of
how people regulate their health behaviors, allowing for the development of interventions that
consider both the initiation and maintenance of behavior change.

Social Cognitive Theory relies on the principle of reciprocal determinism. It refers to the
idea that there is a dynamic and reciprocal interaction between a person's environment, their
behavior, and themselves. The surrounding environment, which includes the social context,
physical setting, and resource availability, has an impact on the person's behaviors, thoughts, and
emotions.

A key idea in SCT is behavioral capability, which describes someone's actual capacity to
carry out a specific task. This ability depends on a person's drive to carry out the desired action
as well as their knowledge and skills. An individual must have a thorough comprehension of the
what, why, and how of an activity as well as the necessary skills to carry it out successfully.
People learn through the effects of their activities, which also affect the environment in which
they live.

Observational Learning is a key aspect of SCT and states that human beings have the
ability to learn by observing the behaviors of others. In other words, even if they have never
engaged in that specific action before, people may learn by seeing and imitating the behaviors of
others. If they have seen someone else do something well, they are more likely to be able to do it
themselves. As a type of modeling, observational learning may be used to teach social skills
including communication and interpersonal interaction.

Reinforcements in social cognitive theory are the internal or external reactions to a

person's actions that influence the likelihood of the behavior continuing or stopping. These
reactions can be positive or negative, and they may be self-generated or provided by the
environment. The theory suggests that reinforcements shape and mold a person's behavior and
that the positive or negative reactions they receive influence their willingness to initiate and
sustain actions. This concept emphasizes the importance of the environment in shaping a person's
behavior and illustrates the reciprocal nature of the relationship between an individual's actions
and the external world.

Social cognitive theory (SCT) defines expectancies as the result that a person expects
from an event. Even if the predicted outcome could or might not be related to health, people
frequently consider the possible outcomes of their actions before engaging in a certain behavior.
expectations, on the other hand, differ from expectancies in that they are based on a person's
prior experiences, but they are more individualized and concentrate on the value that is given to
the results. These imagined impacts can greatly affect the effective performance of the act.

SCT uses the term "self-efficacy" to describe a person's confidence in their capacity to
carry out a specific activity or action. This view is impacted by a number of elements, including
as the person's prior experiences, personality attributes, surroundings, and sense of control over
the circumstance.

When using SCT to public health, users should be aware of its numerous limitations. The
following are some of the model's limitations: The theory makes the assumption that as the
environment changes, the individual will follow suit, even if this may not always be the case;
The theory is based exclusively on the dynamic interaction between person, behavior, and
environment, and is very loosely structured. It is uncertain how much each of these influences
conduct in real life and if one is more important than the other; The theory significantly
emphasizes learning processes while ignoring biological and hormonal predispositions that may
have an impact on actions independent of prior knowledge or expectations; The theory does not
concentrate on motivation or emotion. The focus on these elements is rather low; Due of its
extensive scope, the theory may be challenging to fully operationalize.
 As stated in the STC theory about addressing how an individual's behavior changes, the
social cognitive theory takes into account various layers of the social ecology model. Given the
focus on the individual and the environment, the latter of which has become a prominent point of
attention in recent years for health promotion initiatives, SCT has been frequently employed in
this field. Similar to other theories, it may be challenging to apply all the SCT elements to a
single public health issue, especially when establishing targeted public health initiatives.

As Grade 11 Carnelian students have been observed having discourteous behavior

because they tend to be passive and not responsive, this examination would help discover the
discipline strategies and improve how Carnelian students behave. Improving the behavior of the
students helps them by providing structure and motivation to better themselves while ensuring
resilience in competition and disappointment. The study will lead to a positive learning
environment that will enhance student engagement and academic performance in the long term.