- According to psychologist Albert Bandura, reciprocal
determinism is a model composed of three factors that
influence behavior: the environment, the individual, and the
behavior itself.
- Essentially, Bandura believes that an individual's behavior
influences and is influenced by both the social world and personal
characteristics.
The environmental component is made up of the physical surroundings
around the individual that contain potentially reinforcing stimuli,
including people who are present (or absent).
The environment influences the intensity and frequency of the
behavior, just as the behavior itself can have an impact on the
environment.
The individual component includes all the characteristics that have
been rewarded in the past. Personality and cognitive factors play an
important part in how a person behaves, including all of the individual's
expectations, beliefs, and unique personality characteristics.
And finally, the behavior itself is something that may or may not be
reinforced at any given time or situation.
"Albert Bandura speculates that personality is the product of
three interacting forces: environment, behavior, and thoughts
Bandura called the constant interaction among these three
factors reciprocal determinism
- We choose to place ourselves in certain environments, and these
environments then influence our behavior and the way we think.
- However, the way we think - our attributions, goals, values, and
perceptions - may guide which environments we choose to be in
as well as the behavior we exhibit.
- Our behavior, in turn, may change the environment as well as the
way we think. All three variables influence each other in a
reciprocal manner."
"Reciprocal determinism suggests that individuals function as a
result of a dynamic and reciprocal interaction among their
behavior, environment, and personal characteristics.
Personal characteristics include one's thoughts, emotions,
expectations, beliefs, goals, and so forth.
Behavior is conceptualized as a person's skills and actions.
Lastly, environment is considered to be a person's social and
physical surroundings.
All three systems interact with each other; therefore, a change in
one will influence the others as well. Reciprocal determinism
indicates that people do have a say in their future, because of
reciprocal interactions."
(Lee, Encyclopedia of School Psychology, 2005)
Key components of the Social Cognitive Theory related to
individual behavior change include:
Self-efficacy: The belief that an individual has control over
and is able to execute a behavior.
Behavioral capability: Understanding and having the skill
to perform a behavior.
Expectations: Determining the outcomes of behavior
change.
Expectancies: Assigning a value to the outcomes of
behavior change.
Self-control: Regulating and monitoring individual
behavior.
Observational learning: Watching and observing
outcomes of others performing desired behavior.
Reinforcements: Promoting incentives and rewards that
encourage behavior change.
Examples of Reciprocal Determinism
Let's imagine that Anna is a shy student who usually keeps to herself
(the personal/cognitive component). She enters a room on the first day
of class to find that all of the other students are already present (the
environment).
In most cases, she would just quietly slip into a seat at the back of the
class in order to avoid becoming the center of attention (the behavioral
component). In this instance, another student at the front of the room
boisterously greets Anna and invites her to sit down in an adjacent seat.
In this instance, the environment has introduced a new reinforcing
stimuli (the friendly student) that has led to a change in Anna's normal
routine. As a result, her behavior has changed.
