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Essay on Social Cognitive Theory
Social cognitive theory, a primary underlying orientation within this book, is a sophisticated and complex theory that takes into account not only the multiple causes of behavioral, social, and emotional problems, but the reciprocal nature of the relation between causes and effects. This theory is not overviewed in order to proselytize the nonbeliever; it is not a philosophy of life and does not have to carry any metaphysical implications. Social cognitive theory is proposed as a solid foundation for assessment of children and adolescents because it takes into account many potential factors contributing to the assessment problems, it is flexible, and in its fullest form, has strong implications for linking assessment data to intervention planning (Wilson EO. 1998).
Social cognitive theory, and the related concepts of triadic reciprocally and observational learning, are based on the work of Bandura (1986). Most persons who have studied psychology and related fields at the graduate level are familiar with Bandura's work on social learning processes in aggression. These processes were demonstrated in the famous "Bobo Doll" experiments, wherein the effects of models and perceived consequences were found to have a tremendous impact on both aggressive and prosocial behavior in school-age and preschool-age children. These particular demonstrations of social cognitive theory do not tell the full story, nor account for the entire complexity of the process. Although it is impossible to completely detail social cognitive theory within a portion of one book chapter, it is useful to at least review its major components.
As stated by Bandura (1986), social cognitive theory holds that people "are neither driven by inner forces nor automatically shaped and controlled by external stimuli. Rather, human functioning is explained in terms of a model of triadic reciprocally in which behavior, cognitive and other personal factors, and environmental events all operate as determinants of each other" (p. 18 )....
