Chapter 10: Social Cognitive theory

Chapter 10 Blog
WHAT:
SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY: (Albert Bandura) / visual would e the tape recorder – record and play back
· Has its roots in behaviorism and addresses the effects of reinforcement and punishment
· Has incorporated cognitive processes into its explanation of learning
· Addresses motivation to a greater degree than either the cognitive or behaviorist perspective
People can learn by observing others
· Can acquire new responses by observing behaviors of models
Learning is an internal process that may or may not lead to a behavior change
People and their environment mutually influence each other

Reciprocal causation
1. Persons: Motivating beliefs, perceptions, emotions, meaning (this is what a person brings to the table) affected by #2,#3
2. Environmental factors: (reinforcers, punishers) (determined by #1 and #3)
3. Behavior: affected by #2,#1

Behavior is directed toward particular goals
Behavior becomes increasingly self-regulated
· people set their own standard for acceptable and unacceptable behavior and then strive to behave in accordance with those standards

THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE VIEW OF REINFORCEMENT:
· Behaviorist perspective
o Reinforcement and punishment are directly responsible for behavior change and learning
Consequences have an effect on behavior only if learners are aware of the contingency
· Reinforcement increases the frequency of behavior only if the learner thinks or know that the behavior is being reinforced
· Punishment decreases a behavior only if learners realize that it is the direct result of something they themselves have done
Learners form expectations about the likely consequences of future actions and behave accordingly
Learners’ expectations are influenced by what happens to other people as well as to themselves
· Vicarious reinforcement – more like to exhibit behavior is they someone else reinforced for that behavior
· Vicarious punishment – less likely to misbehave if they see someone else punished
Learners decision about whether to make certain responses depend not only on their awareness of response-reinforcement contingencies but also on their beliefs about their own ability to make the response successfully
· Learners don’t work for incentives they don’t believe they can achieve
· An incentive is effective only it is obtainable and the student perceives it as such.
Expectations about future consequences affect how thoroughly and in what ways learners cognitively process new information
Learners typically demonstrate the new knowledge and skills they acquire only if they expect reinforcement for doing so
The nonoccurrence of an expected consequence – whether for oneself of for someone else – can have a reinforcing or punishing effect in and of itself
· When people think that a certain response is going to be reinforced but it isn’t they are less likey to exhibit the response in the future
· It is important to follow through with promised reinforcements ad/or consequences

MODELING:
Modeling : Demonstrating a behavior for another or observing and imitating another’s behavior
Live Model: Currently living individual whose behavior is observed in person
Symbolic Model: Real of fictional character in the media that influences an observer’s behavior
Cognitive Modeling: Demonstrating how to think about as well as how to do a task

HOW MODELING AFFECTS BEHAVIOR
· Observational learning effect: Acquisition of a new behavior after watching someone else do it
· Response Facilitation effect: Increased frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being reinforced for it
· Response inhibition effect: Decreased frequency of a previously learned behavior after seeing someone else being punished for it
· Response disinhibition effect: Increased frequency of a previously forbidden or punished behavior after seeing someone else do it without adverse consequences

SELF EFFICACY
· Self efficacy: Belief that one is capable of executing certain behaviors or reaching certain goals
· Resilient self-efficacy: Belief that one can perform a task successfully even after experiencing setbacks
· Collective self-efficacy: people’s beliefs about their ability to be successful when they work together on a task

Self esteem and Self concept deal with self identity, self view, encompass feelings and beliefs
Self efficacy is task oriented, situation specific, involves judgments rather than feelings

Effects of self efficacy
· Choice of activities
· Goals
· Effort and persistence
· Learning and achievement
Factors in development of self efficacy
· Learner’s previous successes and failures
· Messages from others
· Successes and failures of others
· Successes and failures within a larger group - collective

Applications of self efficacy
· Teach basic knowledge and skills
· Help students make noticeable progress on complex skills
· Present some tasks at which students can succeed only with effort and perseverance
· Assure students that they can be successful
· Remind students that others like themselves have succeeded before
· Have students see successful peer models
· Assign large complex tasks as small group activities

SELF REGULATION
· Self regulation: Process of setting goals for oneself and engaging in behaviors and cognitive processes that lead to goal attainment
· Self regulated behavior: self chosen behavior that leads to the fulfillment of personally chosen standards and goals
· Emotion regulation: Process of keeping in check of intentionally altering feelings that may lead to counterproductive behavior
· Self-instructions: Instructions that one gives oneself while performing a complex behavior
· Self-monitoring: Observing and recording one’s own behavior
· Self evaluation: Judgment of one’s own performance or behavior
· Self imposed contingency: self-reinforcement or self-punishment that follows a behavior
· Self-regulated learning: regulation of one’s own cognitive processes in order to learn successfully

SELF REGULATED LEARNING
· Goal setting
· Planning
· Self Motivation
· Attention control
· Flexible use of learning strategies
· Self monitoring
· Appropriate help seeking
· Self evaluation

SELF-REGULATED PROBLEM SOLVING: Use of self-directed strategies to address complex problems

SO WHAT:
In the Classroom:
· Communicate clearly and consistently expectation
· Incorporate students personal experience and interest into the curriculum
· Identify concrete tasks that students will accomplish
· Provide guidance and structure for how task should be completed
o modeling
· Teach self-regulation strategies
o Goals
o Self Reinforcement
o Track progress
o Help develop effective reading and learning activities
· Frequent self assessment
· Remind students they are responsible for their own performance

NOW WHAT:
I think that as a teacher I lean toward the social cognitive view of learning – that students learn by watching and then doing. My experience as a parent also reinforces the value of this theory. If a parent / teacher models good behavior – reading good books, setting goals, elf efficacy, etc. - children will generally follow. That’s not to say that other theories should be put aside. Basic behaviorism might be needed to control a rowdy classroom and discovery learning is a sound princple for teaching theatre. My goal as a teacher would be to use whatever theory best fits the situation in order to help my students be successful, to help them believe they can succeed by giving them opportunities to do so, and to help them develop self regulation so they know they are in charge of their learning and their lives!