Question

Discuss and develop possible explanations for the consistency paradox. How does Bandura and Mischel’s approach to learning differ from the learning approaches of Skinner? What factors make Bandura and Mischel’s theory a “cognitive” theory? Contrast Freud’s ideas about the development of moral conduct with the ideas developed by Bandura.

Answer 1

Albert Bandura brought about the social cognitive theory which states that people learn from observing others.Children and adults imitated the behaviour of others around them as a social learning process.He conducted the experiment to study agression and non agression in children.He explains self efficiacy as believing in ourselves to take action.In social cognitive theory he states that when people observe a person causing a behaviour and the consequences ,they remember the sequence and effects and use it to guide subsequent behaviours.Mischels approach to learning states that the behaviour is predicted from understanding a person and situation and the connection between the two.He believed that behaviour is not the result of a personality trait but individual perceptions of themselves in that situation.Skinner Explained that human action is dependant on previous actions.That one learnt from their own actions ,if they had bad experiences from the previous action,they would not repeat it.Sigmund Freud concept of mooral development in children states that there is a tension between societys needs and individual.The id which focuses only what is good and not worried about the consequences,Super ego the moral centre which condisers the actions before we do them.A child is able to act upon his super ego for moral development.Bandura states that moral learning is linked to moral action through mechanisms by which moral agency is exercised.The society plays a part in moral judgment or reasoning.