Dollard

and Miller
Chapter 10

Psychoanalytic Learning
Theory

Hulls Theory of Learning

Drive any strong impulse that moves an
organism to action
Reinforcer anything that reduces a drive
Habit association b/t stimulus and
response (S-R learning)

Dollard & Millers

Theory of Learning

Drive

Cue

Response

Reinforcement

Response Hierarchies

Habit family hierarchy

Innate

hierarchy of responses
Dominant response

Learning
Initial

hierarchy of responses
Resultant hierarchy of responses

Example of a response hierarchy: child

dominant
response

R1: cry

R2: grab teddy bear

R3: hide

R4: demand Daddy

R5: go quietly to bed

gradient of reward
The more closely the response is followed
by reward, the more it is strengthened.
Language can influence this by making a
response "close" by talking about it.

Bandura (1925- )
& Mischel (1930- )

Consistency of Human Behavior

Mischels Peace Corps study

Personality

Coefficient

Weak correlation (.30) between standard

personality tests and behavior

Consistency Paradox
The

persistent belief that human behavior is

consistent over time and situation when
experimental evidence indicates that it is not
In fact, Mischel believes consistency is
maladaptive

The Situational Context of Behavior

Variables affecting personality

Person

variables personal traits that

influence response to a situation
Situation variables environmental
circumstances person finds themselves in

Traditional theory overemphasizes Person

Variables
Skinner overemphasizes Situation
Variables

The Situational Context of Behavior

Reciprocal
Determinism
Personality

emerges from the

mutual interactions
of individuals, their
actions, and their
environments.

Imagine
combinations of
these behaviors:
hit
cry
smile

With any of these

situations:
... when pushed.
... when teased.
... when complimented.

It makes sense to hit

back when pushed. It
does not make sense to
cry when
complimented.

Person Variables

Beliefs, values, and information

gathering strategies that determine
which stimuli are perceived, selected,
interpreted, and used

1. Encoding Strategies
How we see things
personal

constructs - trait terms people use to

describe themselves and other people

Ex. passionate, hard-working

situational

descriptions how situation is

interpreted

helps explain why people have different

reactions to same situation

2. Expectancies
What we think will happen
Behavior-Outcome

Expectancies

Stimulus-Outcome

Expectancies

Self-Efficacy

Expectancies

Behavior-Outcome Expectancies

If I act in this way, it will have the following result.

If I study 3 hours, will I get an A ?
If I run, will I catch the bus?
Used when specifics about current situation unknown,
based on past, similar experiences

Stimulus-Outcome Expectancies

What will happen

next?
Learned from past
experiences

I know what to
expect from
this stimulus!

Self-Efficacy Expectancies

Can I do it?

Self-efficacy what a
person can do
Perceived selfefficacy what a
person thinks they are
capable of doing

Self-Efficacy Expectancies

Strong emotion low self-efficacy

Calmness high self-efficacy

People w/ high self-efficacy

Set higher goals

Persist longer
More venturesome
Recover more quickly from set-backs
Have less fear, anxiety, stress & depression

3. Subjective values (of outcome)

What is worth having or doing?

desirability of outcomes (given the

particular individuals goals or values)

4. Self-regulatory
systems and plans
How do we attain our goals?

Self-Regulated Behavior

Most behavior is self-regulated

Performance Standards:
When

performance meets standards, person feels

good
When performance does not meet standards, person
feels bad
Intrinsic vs. extrinsic reinforcement/punishment

I.e., most behavior is purposive or teleological

Self-Regulated Behavior
Self-Efficacy

as a mediator of performance
Moral Conduct as a regulator of performance
Self-Exonerating Mechanisms excuse
violations of moral standards

Self-Exonerating Mechanisms
Moral justification
Euphemistic labeling
Advantageous comparison
Displacement of responsibility
Diffusion of responsibility
Disregard or distortion of consequences
Dehumanization
Attribution of blame

Delay of Gratification

5. Competencies
What we are capable of doing?

behavioral
cognitive

Examples
Sexual gender identity
Knowing structure of the physical world
Social rules and conventions
Personal constructs about self, others
Rehearsal strategies for learning

Five Person Variables

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Encoding strategies
Expectancies
Subjective values
Self-regulatory systems & plans
Competencies

Experiment

nursery school students

would behave more
aggressively when they
observed an aggressive
adult

Observational Learning
Learning that takes place when one
observes and models the behavior of
others
Models as sources of vicarious
reinforcement and vicarious punishment

News

and Entertainment Media as Models

Elements Necessary for Modeling

Attention
One

Retention
One

must pay attention to a behavior and its consequences

must recall what was observed

Reproduction
Observers

must have the motor ability to reproduce the

modeled behavior

Motivation
Observer

must expect reinforcement for modeled act

Dysfunctional Expectancies and

Psychotherapy

Psychological problems result from

dysfunctional expectancies
Thinking

you can do more than you can

frustration
Believing you can do less than you can
inhibits personal growth

Goal of Psychotherapy: Change perceived

self-efficacy

Social Cognitive Theory View of

Human Nature

Freedom versus Determinism

Bandura

as a soft-determinist
Freedom as options

Chance Encounters and Life Paths

Mind-Body Relationship

Social

Cognitive Theory does not accept

dualism

Critique

Contributions