Personality
Explained Through Behaviorism
Behaviorism
Behavioral 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.
Burrhus
Frederic Skinner was one
Skinner
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 Watson
John 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 Mischel
Walter Mischel is a personality
psychologist that helped prove
“deferred gratification” with his
Marshmallow experiment.
Deferred Gratification - Ones ability
to practice self control and resist
temptation in order to obtain a much
more desired prize.
Mischel’s Marshmallows
http://vimeo.com/5239013
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.
LEHRER, 2009
EATMEDAILY.COM
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-regulated
Self-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
•
•
Our personalities shape how we interpret and
react to events
•
•
We choose to befriend different people, listen to
different music, be involved in different activities, etc
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.
•
•
Seligman's Theory
•
•
Uncontrollable bad events  perceived lack of control 
generalized helpless behavior
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 selfefficacy, 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
Bibliography
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http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Behaviorism#Criticisms_of_behaviorism
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http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/bandura.htm
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Myers, D. G. (2007). Psychology (8th ed.). New York: Worth.
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