Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory

Abstract

Self-efficacy and leadership effectiveness is very important in social communication. The core and assumption of the social cognitive theory explain the way people acquire knowledge and maintain behaviors while providing the baselines for intervention plans. The process of monitoring behavioral changes depends on the factors of environment, people, and behaviors. Generally, the social cognitive theory is a learning theory based on the ideas that people learn by watching their actions. The process helps in understanding an individual’s personality; hence, brings out the idea of a fair amount that influences development generated behavior displayed in the surrounding, where one grows up.

People learn by observing others, whereby the behavior factors the factors of development are influenced. Basically, the environment, where one is raised up, influences the behaviors even in the future. Learning occurs with no change in behavior. Social cognitive theory’s enhancement of drug and alcohol education is more important because it helps in recognizing measurable programs.

One of the most important findings in leadership’s literature is the relationship between the leaders. The approach based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory enhances the effectiveness of the key to success in regulating behaviors in a dynamic environment. Adults respond differently to children’s behavior, and this is one of the differences, which contribute to the children’s personal ideas and behaviors of self-efficacy. It is vital to understand that people do not acquire the behavior standards from the influences they experience. Self-efficacy theory guides researchers in many areas, including academic achievement and health-related behaviors. According to Bandura’s theory of social cognitive, knowledge of benefits and risks of health influences one’s ability, behavior, and habit. Outcome expectations are very important in the social cognitive theory because they enlighten the individual’s decisions about the actions they undertake.

Summary of the Three Selected Articles

McCormick, M. J. (2001). Self-Efficacy and Leadership. A Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Summer, Volume 8, 22-23

According to the social cognitive theory, a new leadership approach is proposed based on Bandura’s social cognitive theory. Bandura’s work on self-efficacy in relation to fear cases has contributed positively to the study of self-efficacy in learning institution system. The argument on this article is that self-regulating efficacy focuses on implementing the work to students on the current technology. Proposing a leadership model utilizes social cognitive theory, whereby a leader’s behaviors should be derived from the dynamic social contributing factors and in large appreciation. In relation to this article, leader’s behaviors and the surrounding outline specific personal factors, such as self-efficacy and individual’s knowledge, which are influencing the leadership behaviors.

Learning Process and Activities in Connecting Learning Communities

Learning communities engage in many joint activities, such as focusing on the activities performed towards community learning. The individuals and groups require access to many sources of learning, especially in social behaviors. The process and activities involved in this article are related to collaborative action and construction through learning experiences. Dialogue and learning conversations include the collaborative inquiry, supported practice, learning with peers, and acquiring knowledge. Dialogue in the community process helps in achieving the roles of all the participants in an equal way. Learning conversation involves a dialogue, whereby the community connects learning planned activities in an orderly way.

McCormick argues about teaching and educational practice being a key perspective to the teachers willing to undergo the new preparation program. The selection of peers and the collection of the best resources at schools meet the needs of the students. The professional knowledge and effectiveness in problem-solving is a contributing factor to the elimination of the negative impact. Most of the teaching programs have changed, and schools have become more learning-centered with more trained and skilled professionals.

Nobn, N. L., Prestin, A., Jason, C. (2009). Social Cognitive Theory and Media Effects. A Journal of the SAGE Handbook of Media Processes and Effects, 283-297

The capacity of exercising control over nature and quality of one’s life is essential. Human agency is characterized by the total number of the core factors that operate through functional consciousness of self-regulation in better quality. The social cognitive theory distinguishes direct personal agency through social coordination and independent effort. The problem and solution in human resources require knowledge in learning theories. The social cognitive theory identifies learning as a process of interaction between the behavior of a person and the environment. This article argues about the core concept of the individual within the social cognitive theory. It integrates a very large number of different ideas and concepts of human understanding and functioning process.

The authors’ objective is to examine the leadership development by focusing on leadership skills through cognitive theory. Knowledge is important for any behavior change on self-efficacy and is a fundamental requirement for the behavior change. The outcome in the social cognitive theory brings out the expectations of physical, social, and self-evaluative reactions. On the same time, it provides the beginning of the contemporary origin of the social cognitive theory, especially self-efficacy and self-regulation.

The concept of observation describes the process of learning theory. Verbal and written descriptions are considered to be the forms of observation, whereby they demonstrate skills and ability to perceive things indirectly. Outcome expectations reflect the individual’s beliefs in ensuring particular behaviors of the person, whereby the beliefs are formed through observations of people’s actions. Outcome expectations are very important in the social cognitive theory because they enlighten the individuals’ decisions about the actions they undertake.

Bandura, A. (2004). Health Promoting By Social Cognitive Means. A Journal of Health Education Behavior, vol.31, no.2 143-164

The article examines the importance of health promotion by social cognitive means, where the disease is prevented from the perspective of the social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy is believed to operate the goals and the outcome of the perceptions in the environment in relation to human behavior. The beliefs in one’s efficacy help to exercise the goals and control in comparison to psychosocial influences, which bring impact to the healthy functioning. In this case, human health is affected by the social matter in the environment, whereby it requires change and practice in the social systems, which bring effect to individual health. The knowledge of health risk and the benefits of health practices affects one’s ability in relation to students’ knowledge, skills, and practices; it increases the perceived ability to resist the habit of abusing alcohol. The person engaged in these kinds of behaviors does not achieve the goal, because of the problems he or she faces. The verbal persuasion is recommended in times of encouragement for a person to achieve behavior targets.

Social cognitive theory is affected by the media, because of the illustrations of the influence possessing the behavior actions of the individuals. Media educates people on the consequences of the negative information and behaviors perceived in the community. Educational programming is based on Bandura’s article on social cognitive theory. In order to be effective, media programs may conduct research based on real-life situations about issues and events. During these programs, the positive behavior of the characters is perceived in good actions, while on the other hand, it implies negative results. Therefore, people tend to become role models at the end of the program.