Question

In what ways does social cognitive theory differ from behaviourism? (brief halfpage answer is all good)

Answer 1

Behaviourism includes the attitude of a person under specific environmental conditions. The behavior in a person is generated during the initiation of a stimulus and a response in that specific situation. It creates communication and interaction among people so that the problems in various situations can be analyzed (Ormrod,2014). This theory was given by Skinner and Watson. It includes the process of learning developed by a learner and developed by the instructor without the use of learners mental faculties and abilities. The outcome and result is analyzed by the instructor who provides a reinforcement in the form of the either incentives for positive work or punishment for bad work in the society. It involves classical conditioning and operant conditioning. It involves the detailed material preparation and teaching of the introduction, concepts, principles, mechanisms and key methodology by the instructor without the use of mental abilities of the learner. It includes the formation of stimulus(S) and response(R) for a specific condition which is faced by a person in society.

Social cognitive theory relies on the mental processing regions in the brain for the analysis of problems. It was designed by Bandura in the 1960's. It is depicted in the diagram below:

Social cognitive theory includes the concepts of:

• Reciprocal determinism:It occurs due to changes in a person due to changes in the environmental stimulus
• Behavioral capability. It involves the knowledge, skill and precision in a person.
• Expectations. The results of actions and work in the society.
• Self-efficacy. It includes the determination of a person with motivation to perform the work given.
• Observational learning.it involves the experiances and learning based on observing others in the society.
• Reinforcements. The stimulus of reward if a person has committed a good work or punishment if a wrong deed has been performed by a person in the society.