Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionV. Learning Theories 16. Bandura: Social
Cognitive Theory© The McGraw−Hill^501
Companies, 2009our behavior and ignore others altogether. What we observe depends on interests and
other preexisting self-conceptions. In achievement situations, such as painting pictures,
playing games, or taking examinations, we pay attention to the quality, quantity, speed,
or originality of our work. In interpersonal situations, such as meeting new acquain-
tances or reporting on events, we monitor the sociability or morality of our conduct.
Judgmental Process
Self-observation alone does not provide a sufficient basis for regulating behavior. We
must also evaluate our performance. This second process, judgmental process,helps
us regulate our behavior through the process of cognitive mediation. We are capable
not only of reflective self-awareness but also of judging the worth of our actions on
the basis of goals we have set for ourselves. More specifically, the judgmental
process depends on personal standards, referential performances, valuation of activ-
ity, and performance attribution.
Personal standardsallow us to evaluate our performances without comparing
them to the conduct of others. To a profoundly handicapped 10-year-old child, the
act of tying his shoelaces may be highly prized. He need not devalue his accom-
plishment simply because other children can perform this same act at a younger age.
Personal standards, however, are a limited source of evaluation. For most of
our activities, we evaluate our performances by comparing them to a standard of ref-
erence.Students compare their test scores to those of their classmates, and tennis
players judge their personal skills against those of other players. In addition, we use
our own previous levels of accomplishment as a reference for evaluating present per-
formance: “Has my singing voice improved over the years?” “Is my teaching ability
better now than ever?” Also, we may judge our performance by comparing it to that
of a single individual—a brother, sister, parent, or even a hated rival—or we can
compare it to a standard norm such as par in golf or a perfect score in bowling.
Besides personal and reference standards, the judgmental process is also de-
pendent on the overall valuewe place on an activity. If we place minor value on our
ability to wash dishes or dust furniture, then we will spend little time or effort in try-
ing to improve these abilities. On the other hand, if we place high value on getting
ahead in the business world or attaining a professional or graduate degree, then we
will expend much effort to achieve success in these areas.
Finally, self-regulation also depends on how we judge the causes of our be-
havior, that is, performance attribution. If we believe that our success is due to our
own efforts, we will take pride in our accomplishments and tend to work harder to
attain our goals. However, if we attribute our performance to external factors, we will
not derive as much self-satisfaction and will probably not put forth strenuous effort
to attain our goals. Conversely, if we believe that we are responsible for our own fail-
ures or inadequate performance, we will work more readily toward self-regulation
than if we are convinced that our shortcomings and our fears are due to factors be-
yond our control (Bandura, 1986, 1996).
Self-Reaction
The third and final internal factor in self-regulation is self-reaction. People respond
positively or negatively to their behaviors depending on how these behaviors measure
Chapter 16 Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory 495