The Social-cognitive Perspective
The social-cognitive perspective on personality proposed by Albert Bandura emphasizes the interaction of our traits with our situation. Individuals and their situations work together just like nature and nurture. Social-cognitive theorists believe that we learn many of our behaviors either through conditioning or by observing others and modeling them. What we think about our situation affects our behavior. Social-cognitive theorists focus on how we and our environment interact.
Bandura views the interaction of people and the environment as reciprocal determinism. He said, "Behavior, internal personal factors, and environmental influences all operate as interlocking determinants of each other". In simpler terms, behavior, internal cognition, and environment interact. The following are three specific ways in which individuals and environments interact:
Bandura views the interaction of people and the environment as reciprocal determinism. He said, "Behavior, internal personal factors, and environmental influences all operate as interlocking determinants of each other". In simpler terms, behavior, internal cognition, and environment interact. The following are three specific ways in which individuals and environments interact:
- Different people choose different environments.
- Our personalities shape how we interpret and react to events.
- Our personalities help create situations to which we react.
Internal Versus External locus of control
Hundreds of studies have compared people who differ in their perceptions of control. Some people have an external locus of control, while others perceive an internal locus of control. External locus of control is the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate. Internal locus of control is the perception that you control your own fate.
Learned helplessness
People who repeatedly face traumatic over which they have no control, come to feel helpless, hopeless, and depressed. Psychologists call this passive resignation learned helplessness.
ATTRIBUTIONal style (explanatory style)
Explanatory style is a psychological attribute that indicates how people explain to themselves why they experience a certain event, either positive or negative. Psychologists have identified three components in explanatory style:
People who tend to blame themselves for negative events display a pessimistic explanatory style. People who tend to blame others for negative events display an optimistic explanatory style.
- Personal: Internal vs. external
- Permanent: Stable vs. unstable
- Pervasive: Global vs. local/specific
People who tend to blame themselves for negative events display a pessimistic explanatory style. People who tend to blame others for negative events display an optimistic explanatory style.