Chapter 13
Behaviorism: concerned with overt, observable behavior. Not concerned with emotions,
thoughts, expectancies, values, insight, unconscious.
B. F. Skinner---rejected the use of inner states, such as anxiety, as explanations of
behavior in favor of observable external events.
Radical behaviorism An extreme form of the behaviorist view that argues against using
inner states as explanations for behaviors.
Freud and Skinner held similar view----people do not know reason for many of their
behaviors—although think we do.
Personality described: the end result of one's history of conditioning. To understand
processes that shape personality and to change problem behaviors—have to examine
basic conditioning principles.
The behavioral approach to personality proposes that personality is the consistent patterns
of behavior we engage in.
Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are used by behaviorists to explain the
development and maintenance of behaviors.
Classical conditioning: event-event learning. Learn that there is a temporal or sequential
relationship between 2 events in world, such as bell and food powder.
Operant conditioning: behavior-event learning. Learn the relationship between behavior
and some consequential event. Press a lever produces piece of food.
Operant conditioning—consequences of action important. Consequence increases
frequency of behavior that precedes it is called reinforcement. Decreases behavior—
called punishment. Consequence reinforcing or punishing varies according to situation
and person.
Negative reinforcement
Punishment
behavior modification Therapy procedures based on operant conditioning and classical
conditioning principles
Social cognitive theory—Albert Bandura: human functioning is a product of the mutual
interaction of environmental events, behavior, and personal factors.
Bandura proposes that internal states, the environment, and behavior all affect one
another. people regulate own behavior, and we engage in purposeful, future-oriented
thinking.
Personality is determined by the interplay of behavior, environment, and cognitive
processes---called reciprocal determinism.
Reciprocal determinism— three way interaction of environment, behavior and person.
Behavior partially function of environment, but environment partially function of
behavior
3 reciprocal factors don’t have to be of equal strength or to make equal contributions.
Strength of factor varies with individual and with situation.
Observational learning is a key aspect in how we learn--form ideas about others’
behavior and possibly adopt that behavior.
Bandura: learn through observing others, although whether behaviors are performed
depends on expectancies for rewards or punishments.
Instead of passive recipients of the environment, we can actively regulate and control our
behaviors.
Behavior modification therapists apply basic conditioning principles when dealing with
their clients.
systematic desensitization is based on classical conditioning.
token economies, are based on operant conditioning.
Bandura has identified clients' self-efficacy beliefs as crucial in the psychotherapy
progress. Whether clients expect to succeed is an important determinant of therapy
success. These expectancies come from a variety of sources, including past performance
accomplishments and vicarious learning.
Self efficacy: people’s beliefs that they are capable of performing those behaviors that
can produce desired outcomes in a particular situation.
How people act depends on reciprocity of environmental and cognitive conditions,
especially those that relate to beliefs----Influences actions choose to pursue, how much
effort invested in activity, how long work at activity, and resiliency if not successful
Beliefs in capabilities to exercise some measure of control over own functioning and
over environmental events.
High self-efficacy—believe they can do something that has potential to alter
environmental events. Low self-efficacy---see themselves as incapable of carrying out
activities.
Confidence in ability to perform certain behaviors.
Efficacy does not imply that people can perform behaviors without anxiety, stress –
instead judgement about whether or not they can carry out the required action.
Behavioral assessment includes a variety of techniques, including direct observation, selfmonitoring, and observation by others. Each of these techniques can provide useful data
for determining baseline frequencies, the conditions under which the target behavior
occurs, and the success of the treatment procedure.
Among the strengths of the behavioral/social learning approach is its empirical base and
the useful therapeutic procedures it has generated. The observation of behavior has
fostered a scientific climate for studying personality.
The criticisms include the inappropriate attention given to heredity. People have also
criticized the way behavior therapists interpret problems into observable behaviors.
Both perspectives have been more concerned with situations, rather than the enduring
characteristics of the person.