558 Part VI Learning-Cognitive Theories
Affective Responses
During the early 1970s,
Mischel’s theory was
mostly a cognitive the-
ory. It was based on the
assumption that people’s
thoughts and other cog-
nitive processes interact
with a particular situa-
tion to determine behav-
ior. Since then, however,
Mischel and colleagues
(Mischel & Ayduk,
2002; Mischel & Shoda,
1998, 1999) have added
affective responses to
the list of important
cognitive- affective units.
Affective responses
include emotions, feel-
ings, and physiological
reactions. Mischel sees
affective responses as
inseparable from cogni-
tions and regards the
interlocking cognitive-
affective units as more
basic than the other
cognitive- affective units.
Affective responses,
then, do not exist in isola-
tion. Not only are they inseparable from cognitive processes, but also they influence
each of the other cognitive-affective units. For example, the encoding of a person’s
view of self includes certain positive and negative feelings. “I see myself as a com-
petent psychology student and that pleases me.” “I’m not very good at mathematics
and I don’t like that.” Similarly, people’s competencies and coping strategies, their
beliefs and expectancies, and their goals and values are all colored by their affective
responses.
Mischel and Shoda (1995) stated:
Cognitive-affective representations are not unconnected discrete units that are
simply elicited as “responses” in isolation: These cognitive representations and
affective states interact dynamically and influence each other reciprocally, and it
is the organization of the relationships among them that forms the core of the
personality structure and that guides and constrains their impact. (p. 253)In summary, interrelated cognitive-affective units contribute to behavior as
they interact with stable personality traits and a receptive environment. The mostOne reason for the inconsistency in people’s behavior is their
inability to predict the behavior of others. © ThinkStock/SuperStock