Theories

Theories

BehavioralTheory

Cognitive theorists believe that individuals are aroused to action by their thinking. Individuals actions are influenced by their beliefs and attributions, particularly attributions about success and failure situations.

Individuals respond to environmental events and extrinsic reinforcement. Reinforcers can be possitive or negative and are used to increase the occurance of the desired behavior. This is diiferent than a punishment, as a punishment decreases the occurance of undesired behaviors by putting in place a consequence for that action happening.

Needs theory emphasizes that individuals are aroused to action by innate needs and intrinsic pressures. Abraham Maslow came up with the hierachy of needs that was based on this theory. The order of needs is as follows: physiological needs, safety, need for belongingness, self-esteem, need to know and understand, aesthetic needs and self-actualization needs.

Social cognitive thery is also known as social learning theory. In this theory, individuals actions are influenced by the value particular goals hold for them and their expectations for success.

CognitiveTheory

NeedsTheory

Social GognitiveTheory

SocioculturalTheory

The sociocultural theory comes from the work of the famous psychologist, Lev Vygotsky. The theory says that actions are influenced by a variety of groups that help socialize and provide for individual identity. Vygotsky believed that human activity takes place in cultural settings and that these settings influence greatly what we think and do.

By Taylor Blair