Chapter 18 Rotter and Mischel: Cognitive Social Learning Theory 539Freedom of Movement Behavior is partly determined by our expectancies: that
is, our best guess that a particular reinforcement will follow a specific response.
In the general prediction formula, freedom of movement (FM) is analogous to
expectancy. It is one’s overall expectation of being reinforced for performing those
behaviors that are directed toward satisfying some general need. To illustrate, a
person with a strong need for dominance could behave in a variety of ways to
satisfy that need. She might select her husband’s clothes, decide what college cur-
riculum her son will pursue, direct actors in a play, organize a professional confer-
ence involving dozens of colleagues, or perform any one of a hundred other
behaviors aimed at securing reinforcement for her dominance need. The average
or mean level of expectancies that these behaviors will lead to the desired satisfac-
tion is a measure of her freedom of movement in the area of dominance.
Freedom of movement can be determined by holding need value constant and
observing one’s need potential. For example, if a person places exactly the same
value on dominance, independence, love and affection, and each of the other needs,
then that person will perform those behaviors judged to have the greatest expectancy
of being reinforced. If the person performs behaviors leading to physical comfort,
for example, then there will be more freedom of movement in that need complex
than in any of the other need complexes. Ordinarily, of course, need value is not
constant, because most people prefer the satisfaction of one need over others.
Need Value A person’s need value (NV) is the degree to which she or he prefers
one set of reinforcements to another. Rotter, Chance, and Phares (1972) defined
need value as the “mean preference value of a set of functionally related reinforce-
ments” (p. 33). In the general prediction formula, need value is the analog of
reinforcement value. When freedom of movement is held constant, people will
perform those behavior sequences that lead to satisfaction of the most preferred
need. If people have equal expectancies of obtaining positive reinforcement for
behaviors aimed at the satisfaction of any need, then the value they place on a
particular need complex will be the principal determinant of their behavior. If they
prefer independence to any other need complex, and if they have an equal expec-
tation of being reinforced in the pursuit of any of the needs, then their behavior
will be directed toward achieving independence.
General Prediction Formula
The basic prediction formula is limited to highly controlled situations where expec-
tancies, reinforcement value, and the psychological situation are all relatively simple
and discrete. In most situations, however, prediction of behavior is much more com-
plex because behaviors and reinforcements usually occur in functionally related
sequences. Consider again the case of La Juan, the gifted student who was having
difficulty staying awake in a dull and boring class. The basic prediction formula
offers some indication of the likelihood that, in the specific situation of a boring
lecture, La Juan will rest her head on her desk. However, a more generalized predic-
tion formula is needed to predict her need potential for gaining the recognition-status
that comes from graduating with highest honors. La Juan’s likelihood of satisfying
this need depends on a complex of behaviors. To make generalized predictions