Chapter Two: Theories of Personality

The Learning Tradition

INTRODUCTION

What makes us unique personalities can be traced to more basic learning principles.

WHAT'S AHEAD

• Why do behaviorists regard labels such as "aggressive" or "shy" as meaningless for explaining behavior?
• Why did cognitive social-learning theorists break away from radical behaviorists in explaining personality?
• What's the difference between people who think they control their own destiny--and those who think destiny controls them?

KEY CONCEPTS

The Behavioral School
The Cognitive Social-Learning School
Evaluating Learning Theories

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The Behavioral School [p.48]

INTRODUCTION

Personality consists of a collection of acquired or learned behavior patterns that have been rewarded by their effects on the environment.

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

.Behaviorism

• Behaviorism is a reaction against mentalism: Psychologists should focus on observable behavior in order to be considered an objective science (John Watson).

• Radical Behaviorism

Explaining behavior was accomplished by looking outside the individual rather than forces within the individual (BF Skinner).

• Example: "Aggressive Personality" simply means that the person displays certain behaviors because they have been repeatedly rewarded by the environment.

• Operant Conditioning

• The consequences of an act affects the probability that the behavior will occur again.
  
  
• Pleasant consequences (reinforcers) will increase the frequency of the behavior.
  
  
• Negative Consequences (punishers) will decrease the frequency of the behavior.

Mental states like "ambition" are not explanations of behavior but rather handy collections of behaviors that continue because they have "paid off" in the past.

..GLOSSARY

		behaviorism
		operant conditioning
		reinforcer

LINKS About Behaviorism

• www link: The early roots of behaviorism.
• www link: A brief biography of John Watson.
• www link: John Watson's classic "Psychology as the Behaviorist Sees It".
• www link: A brief biography of B. F. Skinner.

The Cognitive Social-Learning School [p.48]

INTRODUCTION

An extension of behaviorism which looks at how thoughts and beliefs affect the behaviors we call personality.

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

..Habits, Beliefs and Behavior

Many psychologists did not believe behaviorism was sufficient to explain personality.

• Differences between this school and behaviorism.
  1. Uses observational learning and models.
     
     
  2. Cognitive processes such as perceptions and interpretation of events are used in understanding behavior.
     
     
  3. Motivating values, emotions, and beliefs are also important considerations.

• Habits and beliefs may be created because they were rewarded in the past, but they acquire a life of their own and begin to influence new behavior themselves.
  
  
• Mental processes (e.g. thoughts and values) play a role in behavior:
  
  
  • Characteristic perceptions and beliefs guide behavior.
    
    
  • Example: "Aggressive" people have a belief that other people are insulting them and respond accordingly.

..
Perceptions of Control

• Our perception of control over our lives is as important as the environment's reinforcers and punishers.
  
  
• Julian Rotter, psychotherapist and researcher, found his clients' problems were fueled by entrenched attitudes.
  
  
• People develop generalized expectancies about situations which can create a self--fulfilling prophecy:
  
  
  • The person's expectations lead to behavior that makes the expectation come true.
    
    
• Locus of control beliefs
  
  
  • Answers the personal question - "Are the results of your action under your control?"
    
    
  • Internal locus of control
    
    
    • Believe you are responsible for whatever happens to you.
      
      
    • Believe you control your own destiny.
      
      
  • External locus of control
    
    
    • Believe you are victims of luck, fate, or other people.
      
      
  • Change in locus of control is possible depending upon the effects of one's experience in their interaction with society.

..LINKS About Cognitive Social-Learning

• www link: Self-fulfilling prophecy in management.
• www link Self-fulfilling prophecy in the classroom.
• www link: Locus of control and writing.
• www link: Locus of control and Job Satisfaction in the People's Republic of China.

GLOSSARY

		social-learning theory
		locus of control

Evaluating Learning Theories [p.50]

INTRODUCTION

While the major thrust of learning theories is convincing, there are still some significant criticisms

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

.Essential Point of the Learning Traditions

• People learn by observation and reinforcement consistent with the rules of the culture.

.Criticisms

• Learning theories might imply that people are passive recipients of environmental events that shape their lives.
  
  
• The "environment" that influences people is not clearly defined. There are lots of possible influences -- which ones are influential and why?

Next Topic - The Cultural Tradition.........................................Chapter Contents