566 Part VI Learning-Cognitive Theories
Key Terms and Concepts
∙ (^) The cognitive social learning theories of both Rotter and Mischel
attempt to synthesize the strengths of reinforcement theory with those of
cognitive theory.
∙ (^) According to Rotter, people’s behavior in a specific situation is a
function of their expectations of reinforcements and the strength of the
needs satisfied by those reinforcements.
∙ (^) In specific situations, behavior is estimated by the basic prediction
formula that suggests that the potential for a given behavior to occur is a
function of the person’s expectancy plus the value of the reinforcement.
∙ (^) The general prediction formula states that need potential is a function of
freedom of movement and need value.
∙ (^) Need potential is the possible occurrence of a set of functionally related
behaviors directed toward the satisfaction of a goal or a similar set of
goals.
∙ (^) Freedom of movement is the average expectancy that a set of related
behaviors will be reinforced.
∙ (^) Need value is the degree to which a person prefers one set of
reinforcements to another.
∙ (^) In many situations, people develop generalized expectancies for success
because a similar set of experiences has been previously reinforced.
∙ (^) Locus of control is a generalized expectancy that refers to people’s
belief that they can or cannot control their lives.
∙ (^) Interpersonal trust is a generalized expectancy that the word of another
is reliable.
∙ (^) Maladaptive behavior refers to those actions that fail to move a person
closer to a desired goal.
∙ (^) Rotter’s method of psychotherapy aims toward changing goals and
eliminating low expectancies.
∙ (^) Mischel’s cognitive-active personality system (CAPS) suggests that
people’s behavior is largely shaped by an interaction of stable
personality traits and the situation, which include a number of personal
variables.
∙ (^) Personal dispositions have some consistency over time but little
consistency from one situation to another.
∙ (^) Relatively stable personality dispositions interact with cognitive-affective
units to produce behavior.
∙ (^) Cognitive-affective units include people’s encoding strategies, or their
way of construing and categorizing information; their competencies and
self-regulatory plans, or what they can do and their strategies for doing
it; their expectancies and beliefs about the perceived consequences of
their actions; their goals and values; and their affective responses.