Social-Cognitive Theory on Behaviour

Social-Cognitive Theory on Behaviour
The environment, reinforcement and social-cognitive theory describe the influence of a person’s experiences, actions of others and the environmental factors on a person's behaviour. Usher & Ford (2022) note that social-cognitive theory encompasses experiences, reinforcements, expectancies, and expectations, and observational learning. Resultantly, the components help to predict one's specific behaviour and the motive for engaging in that behaviour. Social Cognitive Theory began as the social learning theory in the 1960s through Albert Bandura (2001). Bandura emphasizes that learning is done in a social context, including changing interactions of the individual, environment, and behaviour. One assumption of social learning is that human beings study new behaviours by way of watching the behaviour of others and the consequences of their behaviour.
The environment, reinforcement, and social-cognitive theory influence human behaviour in numerous ways. According to Usher & Ford (2022), reciprocal determinism is the idea that humans are influenced by their conduct, controlled or decided by a person through cognitive procedures, and by the environment via external social stimuli. Similarly, Bandura (2001) notes that a person's characteristics, including beliefs, objectives, temper, and skills used by the individual, play a crucial role in influencing their behaviour. People learn from the outcomes of their behaviour, which also influences the surroundings in which they live. Reinforcement refers to an individual’s inner or exterior response to someone’s conduct that inhibits or leads to the repetition of behaviour. Positive reinforcement leads to the continuation of the behaviour, while negative reinforcement discourages the behaviour (Amoah & Ampong, 2020). The core of humanness is the ability to practice control over the nature of one’s behaviour (Bandura, 2001). However, expectations and social awareness affect an individual's behaviour and change.
Observatory learning influences an individual's behaviour through social modelling of their responses and actions. Modern media, television, songs, movies, and publications are ...