PersonalityExplained Through Behaviorism

BehaviorismBehavioral Psychology is a branch of psychology that is based on the idea that every action that an organism performs -- including moving, thinking, and feeling-- can be observed and studied based on physical behavior.

Criticisms of Behaviorism

• Many critics argue that behaviorism is a one-dimensional approach to behavior because it does not account for other types of learning different than conditioning. (Learning that takes place exclusive of reinforcers or punishers.)

• Some people claim that behaviorist views do not account for moods, thoughts, and feelings.

• Factors beyond a stimulus are involved in a response and because of this a more complete comprehension of behavior would need to further include the inner mind.

• Some dispute the statement that behaviorists make about conditioning being universal.

B. F. SkinnerBurrhus Frederic Skinner was one of the most influential

behavioral psychologists. He developed the theory of

operant conditioning, in which behavior can be learned

through either reinforcement or punishment.

In order to have animals respond only to the controlled conditions, Skinner invented

the “Skinner Box”, which isolated specimens from all distractions that may affect

results.

John WatsonJohn B. Watson has often been referred to as “the Father of Behaviorism”. Watson proposed that

psychology had nothing to do with the human mind or

consciousness, instead, psychology should only used

to study behavior.

DeMar, 1989

Little Albert Experiment- Watson’s most famous

behavioral experiment

- Watson trained eleven month old “Albert” to be afraid of a white rat by using loud noise every time Albert saw the rat

- Albert was now permanently afraid of the rat, even without the noise

Albert Bandura

Albert Bandura is a behavioral psychologist, specializing in the theory of self efficacy and social cognitive theory.

Bandura developed Social Learning Theory.

Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory is learning based within a social context. It concludes that people learn from other human beings, and it includes such topics as observational learning, imitation, and modeling.

General Principles of Social Learning Theory

-People can learn by observing the behavior of others and they can interpret the outcomes of those behaviors as they wish.

-The social learning theory states that because people have the ability to learn through observation, their learning may not necessarily ever be shown. Therefore, learning may or may not result in a behavior change.

-- Cognition plays a role in learning. Awareness of future reinforcements or punishments can have a huge effect on the behaviors that people show.

How Social Learning Theory connects to Self-Efficacy and Behavior

Joy of activities: people tend to choose activities they feel they will be successful and happy in doing them.

Effort and persistence: people generally put more effort in activities and behaviors that they consider to be successful in pursuing.

Learning and achievement: students with high self-efficacy tendencies tend to be better students and be better achievers.

Bobo Never Hurt Anybody

Bandura hoped to prove that acts of aggression were influenced by behavior that the children observed others doing.

- Some children observed adults attacking Bobo- Some children were not put in situations where Bobo was attacked- When left alone, the children that observed the attack began to attack Bobo.

Walter MischelWalter Mischel is a personalitypsychologist that helped prove“deferred gratification” with hisMarshmallow experiment.

Deferred Gratification - Ones abilityto practice self control and resisttemptation in order to obtain a muchmore desired prize.

Mischel’s Marshmallows

http://vimeo.com/5239013

LEHRER, 2009EATMEDAILY.COM

According to a New York Times article that covered the original experiment, data showed that the children that were able to wait longer had greater success in life as adults.

Learning-Behavior theorists define learning as the acquisition of new behavior based on environmental conditions; hence, behaviorism defines conditioning as the universal process of learning.

-All behavior can be explained without the need to consider internal mental states or consciousness because behavior is caused by external stimuli.

Environment

One’s environment is anything influential that is not genetic.This can include everything from nutrition to the people around us.

MYERS, 2007

Self-regulatedSelf-regulation is one’s ability to

alter or change his or her behaviors.

PERRY

Reciprocal Determinism

• Argued by Albert Bandura

• Although our behavior is largely shaped by our environment, our behavior can affect the environment, which in turn can affect our cognitions, which in turn affects our behavior…..   

• Different people choose different environments

• We choose to befriend different people, listen to different music, be involved in different activities, etc

• Our personalities shape how we interpret and react to events

• If someone is generally very nervous, they will perceive events as being more threatening than they are

• Our personalities help create situations that we react to

• If someone is a supportive, positive person, they will most likely have close friendships

Locus of Control

•Our sense of personal control - whether we feel as though we control, or are controlled by, our environment

• External locus of control : the perception that chance or outside forces beyond one’s personal control determine one’s own fate

• Internal locus of control: the perception that one controls one’s own fate through their actions and behaviors.

• Many studies have shown that people with an internal locus of control achieve more in school, act more independently, enjoy better health, and feel less depressed that those with an external locus of control.

Learned Helplessness

• the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated traumatic events.

• Uncontrollable bad events perceived lack of control generalized helpless behavior

• Seligman's Theory

• originally applied to dogs tested in a shuttle box with a divider separating two sides. Dogs who were shocked on one side eventually jumped over to the other, and, finding that they were not shocked there, learned the jumping response. However, dogs who were initially shocked uncontrollably failed to learn the jumping response.

• bears much in common with depression in humans.

• Culture Shock

• You don’t know how people will respond to you

• Lessened sense of control

• Illustrates importance of giving people in prisons, nursing homes, monotonous jobs opportunities to make decisions for themselves

• Increases morale and happiness, decreases stress

• Implies that when people have personal freedom and feel empowered, they thrive.

Tyranny of Choice

• But on the flip side, tyranny of choice can work counter to personal control.

• When people have too many choices, they are faced with an information overload and there is a greater likelihood they will feel regret over the options they did not choose.

• Deciding what college to go to

Observational Learning

• Also known as the social learning theory

• When the observer’s behavior changes after watching the behavior of the model

• Observer will only imitate the model’s behavior if the model possesses characteristics the observer finds attractive

• Observer is more likely to imitate the model if the model’s behavior is rewarded

Observational Learning Cont.

• There are four processes involved in observational learning.

• Attention: the observer cannot learn unless he is paying attention to what is around him.

• Retention: observer must remember the behavior later.

• Production: observer must be physically and mentally capable of performing the behavior.

• Motivation: observer must be motivated to perform the behavior.

Criticisms of Social Learning Theory

• Social learning theory ignores the individual’s biological state.

• Social learning theory rejects genetic and learning differences.

Self-Efficacy

• People’s beliefs about their capabilities to influence events that affect their lives

• Strong sense of self-efficacy increases sense of accomplishment and well-being

Self-Efficacy

• Four sources of self efficacy

• mastery experiences: success increases self-efficacy, failure decreases self-efficacy

• Social models: if someone of similar to an individual succeeds, the individual is more likely to believe he can succeed as well.

• Social persuasion

• Reduce stress reactions

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