1. Cognitive Units

2. Social Cognitive Theory F Social & cognitive emphasis F Active person –Behavior guided by cognitive representations of events & their consequences F Reciprocal determinism (sit behavior) –Inner & external causes fuse -> behavior –People choose, represent, construct situations –Behavior distinctive to situation Situation-specific behaviors ~personality

3. Reciprocal Determinism

4. Social Cognitive Structures F Expectancies-beliefs –Behavior of self & others & consequences Lying to a friend -> hurt feelings Studying results in good grades –Guides behavioral choice & characteristics Situation specific Individual differences –If…Then expectancies Situation A…Behavior 1 Situation B…Behavior 2 Situation A…Behavior 2 Situation B…Behavior 1

5. Social Cognitive Structures F Goals –Prioritize, guide behaviors towards desired end –Impacts effort and persistence –Fluidly organized hierarchically F Skills –Cognitive –Situation specific Individual differences in goals & skills

6. Social Cognitive Motivation F Behavior maintained by cognitive expectancies of consequences –Internal standards for own behavior –Self-reinforcement –People are proactive & self-regulating F Motivation depends on valued goals & expectancies regarding outcomes

7. Social Cognitive Motivation F Expectancy-Value Theory F Behavior = Value * Expectancy –Value = desirability of behavior to individual –Expectancy of success Skills to attain goal (self-efficacy) Optimistic belief in goal attainment –V = highE = highB(p) = high –V = highE = lowB(p) = low

8. Social Cognitive Motivation F Self-efficacy impacts –Goals –Persistence & performance –Emotions & coping during challenge

9. Reaction Paper 5: Social Cognitive Theory F Pick/describe one of your past behaviors that you do not understand well. This should be something you did but are not entirely sure why. F Analyze this behavior in social cognitive terms. What were your goals, standards and expectations? Was your self- efficacy for the behavior & desired outcome high or low? F Does this analysis help you understand why you did what you did? Explain.

10. Social Cognitive Motivation F Individual differences develop via modeling –Standards & goals Modeled ala behavior - Bandura’s Bobo Doll studies –Self-reinforcement/punishment W > M on empathy Correlates w/ social skills, pro-social behavior, E, A Interacts w/ environmental constraints-> learning –Positive emotional learning (nurturing parents) –Negative emotional learning (abusive parents)

11. Social Cognitive Motivation F Individual differences in control expectancies –Locus of Control: Stable, continuous, people differ My beh -> outcomes v other factor -> outcome Internal vs external F Predicts: –Academic performance –Coping efforts –Personality

12. Observational Learning F 1. Attention –Model –Behavior –Observer F 2. Retention –Imagery –Language –Mental rehearsal F 3. Production –Capacity –Prior experience F 4. Performance –Consequences 4 Necessary Steps

13. Observational Learning F Acquisition ~ learning yNot influenced by rewards to model yNot always performed z Performance ~ doing it yImpacted by rewards to model & actor y Acquisition does not always lead to performance

14. Observational Learning F Bobo Doll Model –Rewarded –Punished –Impacts actor F Actor –Rewards to actor nullifies impacts of punishment to model

15. Modeling & media violence F Acquisition –Specific acts (MURDER SIMULATORS) Columbine, Power Rangers F Behavior –Vicarious reinforcement ARNOLD kills 100 people in his movies as the hero Disinhibites aggression –Expectation of rewards

16. Modeling & media violence F Desensitizes to aggression –Watching violence reduces physiological R to future aggression F Increases aggressive content accessibility –Tactics, schemas, scripts –Encounter difficulties & easily call up aggressive thoughts, plans

17. Media Violence & Cognition

18. Activity 6: Modeling Violence F In groups of 3-5 address the following issues: –Video games, movies, TV all regularly show graphic violence w/ few or no consequences to the actors. Some have argued this has contributed to the recent violence in schools –Imagine you are a board of psychologist w/ expertise on social cognitive theory being asked by a concerned group of parents about these issues. They want to know if media violence will make their children develop into violent adults. Are they raising a cohort of future killers? –Using your knowledge of social cognitive theory provide your best advice to the parents being sure to address the following questions:

19. Activity 6: Modeling Violence F Will their children automatically perform the behaviors they learn from TV and movies? Explain. F Is it OK for them to allow their kids to watch some violent media or should they keep their kids away from ALL media violence for as long as possible? F Given that kids will inevitably be exposed to violent media what can the parents do to reduce the change that their kids will mimic violence? F PLEASE TURN THIS IN AT THE END OF CLASS

20. Social Cognitive Theory F Strengths F Good science F Important DVs F Theoretical development F Positive view of person F Weaknesses F Not unified theory F Neglects key areas F Fails to capture Hot aspects of personality F Fails to capture individual differences