SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

McKenna Pullen

October 30, 2014

H571

Introduction

• Linda example

• Continuing the Key Constructs• Outcome expectations• Goal formation• Sociostructural factors

• Reciprocal Triadic Causation

• TTI

Meet Linda• Linda is 30 years old, and just left an appointment with her

doctor where she received the news that she is pre-diabetic. • Linda is considered obese (BMI of 31), and her fasting blood

glucose levels are very high

• Her doctor recommended immediately beginning a weight loss strategy, and becoming physically active to avoid a diabetes diagnosis.

Outcome Expectations

• Before behavior change occurs, there must be a sufficiently strong belief that the health behavior will “pay off”

• Vicarious learning

• Positive outcome may be experienced immediately

Outcome expectations

• Social environment important in shaping perceived outcome expectations

• Short-term vs. long-term benefits• Efforts to create highly observable, short-term outcomes

• Can also include negative perceptions

Outcome Expectations

Highly observable outcomes

Outcomes are long-termOutcomes are short-term

Outcomes are not observable

Expectancies vs. expectations

• Expectancies• “nices”- expectancies include the personal evaluation of anticipated

outcome

• Reinforcement can be positive or negative• Always involves an increase in the behavior• Extrinsic or intrinsic

• Use extrinsic reinforcement only as an initial method

• Similar to attitude formation in TRA/TPB

Level of motivation

• Perceived self-efficacy + outcome expectations

• Answers two questions:• “Will adopting the health-protective behavior reliably lead to a

valued outcome?”• “Can I realistically perform the necessary behaviors?”

• How is this similar to behavioral intent?

Goal Formation

• Behavior change is best achieved by breaking goals down into a progressive series of subgoals

• Diabetes example• Daily diet-related subgoals defined by measurable behaviors• Success can be measured every day• Subgoals serve to enhance perceived self-efficacy and

expectancies, motivating continued behavior that will eventually lead to the long-term decline in blood sugar levels

Sociostructural Factors

• The world people live in enables and limits their ability to effectively engage in goal-directed behavior

• Similarities with Perceived Behavioral Control in TPB

Reciprocal Triadic Causation• The single most important aspect of SCT as applied to health

promotion

• Environment• Any social, economic, policy, legal, or physical influence on behavior• Collective self-efficacy

• Person• The sum of all cognitive attributes

• Behavior• People’s cognitions will dictate their behavior• Reciprocality

Reciprocal Triadic Causation

Environment

Person Behavior

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DECISIONS/INTENTIONS

SOCIAL SITUATION

BIOLOGY/PERSONALITY

THE THEORY OF TRIADIC INFLUENCE

ATTITUDESTOWARD THE

BEHAVIOR

SOCIALNORMATIVE

BELIEFS

Trial Behavior

EXPERIENCES: Expectancies -- Social Reinforcements -- Psychological/Physiological

SELF-EFFICACYBEHAVIORAL

CONTROL

Nurture/CulturalBiological/NatureIntrapersonal Stream Social/Normative Stream Cultural/Attitudinal Stream

Values/Evaluations

Knowledge/Expectancies

PerceivedNorms

Information/Opportunities

InterpersonalBonding

SocialCompetence

Interactions w/Social Instit’s

Others’Beh & Atts

Motivationto Comply

Skills:Social+General

Sense ofSelf/Control

SelfDetermination

1 2 3

7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18

l

4 5 6

19 20 21

22

23

DistalInfluences

ProximalPredictors

Levels ofCausation

UltimateCauses

Social/Personal Nexus

Expectancies & Evaluations

Affect andCognitions

Decisions

Experiences

a

b c d e

f

g h i

jk m n

o

p q r

s

t u v w

x

Related BehaviorsJ

K

CF

IB E HA D G

CULTURALENVIRONMENT

Follow-up with Linda

• Given what we learned about her, do you think she will be successful in sticking with her goals?