Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionV. Learning Theories 16. Bandura: Social
Cognitive Theory© The McGraw−Hill^511
Companies, 2009show that self-efficacy is one construct with far-reaching implications. Given this, it
is easy to see why Albert Bandura’s theory continues to generate the impressive
amount of research it does.
Critique of Bandura
Albert Bandura has evolved his social cognitive theory by a careful balance of the
two principal components of theory building—innovative speculation and accurate
observation. His theoretical speculations have seldom outdistanced his data but have
been carefully advanced, only one step in front of observations. This scientifically
sound procedure increases the likelihood that his hypotheses will yield positive re-
sults and that his theory will generate additional testable hypotheses.
The usefulness of Bandura’s personality theory, like that of other theories, rests
on its ability to generate research, to offer itself to falsification, and to organize
knowledge. In addition, it must serve as a practical guide to action and be internally
consistent and parsimonious. How does Bandura’s theory rate on these six criteria?
Bandura’s theory has generated several thousand research studies and thus re-
ceives a very high rating on its capacity to generate research.Bandura and his stu-
dent colleagues have conducted much of the work, but other researchers, too, have
been attracted to the theory. Bandura may be the most meticulous writer of all per-
sonality theorists. His carefully constructed formulations lend themselves to the for-
mation of numerous testable hypotheses.
On the standard of falsifiability,we rate Bandura’s theory high. Self-efficacy
theory suggests that “people’s beliefs in their personal efficacy influence what
courses of action they choose to pursue, how much effort they will invest in activi-
ties, how long they will persevere in the face of obstacles and failure experiences,
and their resiliency following setbacks” (Bandura, 1994, p. 65). This statement sug-
gests several areas of possible research that could lead to falsification of self-efficacy
theory.
On its ability to organize knowledge,Bandura’s theory receives a high rating.
Many findings from psychology research can be organized by social cognitive the-
ory. The triadic reciprocal causation model is a comprehensive concept that offers a
viable explanation for the acquisition of most observable behaviors. The inclusion of
three variables in this paradigm gives Bandura’s theory more flexibility to organize
and explain behavior than does Skinner’s radical behaviorism, which relies heavily
on environmental variables.
How practicalis Bandura’s social cognitive theory? To the therapist, teacher,
parent, or anyone interested in the acquisition and maintenance of new behaviors,
self-efficacy theory provides useful and specific guidelines. In addition to presenting
techniques for enhancing personal and collective efficacy and for efficient use of
proxies, Bandura’s theory suggests ways in which observational learning and mod-
eling can be used to acquire behaviors.
Is the theory internally consistent?Because Bandura’s social cognitive theory
is not highly speculative, it has outstanding internal consistency. Bandura is not
afraid to speculate, but he never ventures far beyond the empirical data available to
him. The result is a carefully couched, rigorously written, and internally consistent
theory.
Chapter 16 Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory 505