Book Reviews
Bandura opens with a discussion of the
Social foundations of thought and action: A
various
models of human nature and causocial cognitive theory
sality
in
which
psychodynamic, trait and radAlbert Bandura
ical
behaviourism
theories are each critically
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice
analysed.
He
then
expounds social cognitive
Hall, 1986, xiii + 617 pp. Hardback.
theory and shows clearly how it has the capacUS$39.50.
ity to fill the "gaps" left by other theories
in explaining human action. To do this he
necessarily
accords an important role to
In this book Bandura uses a "social cognitive"
behaviour,
cognitive
and other personal facframework to explore the dynamic interplay
tors,
and
environmental
influences. These are
of affect, thought and action in effecting perall
captured
within
a
conception
of interacsonal and social change. He draws on a wide
tion
based
on
"triadic
reciprocality"
(p. 23)
body of interdisciplinary literature to proin
which
all
the
determinants
operate
interduce a most authoritative and comprehensive
actively
on
each
other.
To
illustrate
how
comaccount of human behaviour which is an
prehensive
this
theory
is,
Bandura
goes
expansion of "social learning theory" and
beyond
a
discussion
of
reciprocal
determicovers issues that extend beyond learning.
Bandura's conceptual framework covers psy- nism to cover fortuitous determinants of life
chosocial phenomena such as motivational events which may cause a redirection in adult
and self-regulatory mechanisms, reciprocal life. The influence of technological change
determinism and the issue of free will. Ban- provides one example of this. Bandura treats
dura conceptualizes learning theory not as environment not as a "situational entity, but
"a conditioning model of response acquisi- as a varied succession of life events that vary
tion" but as "knowledge acquisition through in their properties to affect the direction lives
cognitive processing of information" (p. xii). take" (p. 31). The first chapter concludes with
By the term "social cognitive" Bandura a fascinating discussion of freedom and deteracknowledges the "social origins of human minism. Bandura does not see freedom as
thought and action" and the "influential cau- antithetical to determinism, and he defines
sal contribution of thought processes to freedom in terms of the "exercise of selfhuman motivation, affect and action" (p. xii). influence" (p. 39). He postulates that "any
This is very much an interactional model of account of the determinants of human action
causation "in which environmental events, must include self-generated influences as a
personal factors, and behavior all operate as contributing factor... The capability for selfinteracting determinants of each other. Recip- influence carries the responsibilities as well
rocal causation provides people with oppor- as the benefits of self-directedness" (p. 39).
tunities to exercise some control over their People are partial authors of their own ongodestinies as well as set limits of self-direction" ing situations so they are not solely determined by their past behaviour.
(p. xi).
37
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38
BOOK REVIEWS
In the next six chapters of this book Bandura discusses observational and enactive
learning, compares Piagetian and social cognitive theories of human development and
explains sociocultural diffusion of innovative
ideas and social practices. His discussion of
observational learning extends a long way
beyond learning solely from the consequences
of trial and error. He accords considerable
importance to vicarious motivators, including the symbolic environment. He asserts that
"by drawing on ideas portrayed symbolically
people can transcend the bounds of their
immediate environment" (p. v), using, for
example, films and other media.
Following an in-depth discussion of the
structure and operation of thought, a comprehensive discussion of the mechanisms of
performance is presented. Chapter 8 is
devoted to self-regulatory mechanisms in
which the processes by which knowledge is
transformed into appropriate action are
explored. Bandura explains self-regulation of
motivation and action as operating partly
through "(i) internal standards, (ii) evaluative
reactions to one's own performances and (iii)
the capability of humans to use forethought"
(p. xi).
In the penultimate chapter (9), the influential role of perceived self-efficacy in psychosocial functioning is examined. Here Bandura
clarifies the difference between response-outcome expectations and perceived selfefficacy, a topic that has been under debate
in recent self-efficacy literature. The sources
of self-efficacy, its measurement at the microanalytic level and methods for improving selfefficacy are covered in this chapter. Enactive,
vicarious and verbal persuasion and physiological sources of self-efficacy are discussed.
An explanation of how self-efficacy information is cognitively processed is also given.
Related views of personal efficacy such as
self-concept and how these are distinguished
from self-efficacy are explained in detail.
The final chapter is on cognitive regulators
and explores the representation and use of
knowledge, thought as symbolic constructions, intentions and goals, cognitive devel-
opment, moral judgement, language
development, modes of thought verification
and faculty thinking and human distress.
Throughout this book Bandura systematically applies social cognitive theory to explain
the structure and operation of thought, and
the mechanisms of performance for transferring knowledge into action. People are presented as knowers (with knowledge from
thought and social origins), as performers,
and as self-reactors with the capacity for selfdirection. In addition to explaining personal
change, Bandura's theory also explains social
change.
This book represents a major contribution
to contemporary social behaviourism
because it exceeds the limits of radical behaviourism and develops a synthesis between that
position and social learning theory. Bandura
has synthesized a vast amount of literature
covering many aspects of personal and social
behaviour. As testimony to the enormity of
research drawn upon, one has only to note
that the reference list spans sixty pages and
includes more than 2000 entries.
The book is written in a clear and logical
style and must stand as the essential reference
for persons interested in social cognitive theory and its application to applied psychology.
Like Bandura's earlier major work in 1969,
this present text represents an exhaustive compendium of information and updates any previous reviews on self-efficacy. I recommend
it most strongly as an outstanding scholarly
text.
Colleen J. Heffernan
Faculty of Education
Monash University
Behaviour therapy in primary care: A practical guide
Richard France & Meredith Robson
London: Croom Helm, 1986, 235 pp.
AS35.95.
About 20 years ago, when I first became
involved in clinical psychology, I conceptualized this discipline as being a sort of tail
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