Explanatory Style. How come you didn t get the project completed? Stable Internal Global. Associated with depression. Unstable External Specific

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1 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 1 Explanatory Style People s negative inferences about the causes of their experiences can make depression more likely. According to helplessness theory, individuals who are prone to depression automatically attribute negative experiences to causes that are internal, stable, and global. How come you didn t get the project completed? Associated with depression Not associated with depression Stable Internal Global I m no good at I can t do I can t use this job anything right computers Unstable External Specific Company The project I can t use resources was hard Dreamweaver were tied up

2 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 2 Cognitive Factors that Influence Depression

3 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 3 Personality and Health: Optimism versus Pessimism We all experience failure (at the job, taking tests, or extracurricular activities). Yet some people persist in spite of this failure. How we explain these failures makes a difference. Optimistic Explanatory Style for Failures: Accounting for negative events or situations with external, unstable, and specific explanations. External The job was difficult. It wasn't my fault. Who could predict how a faulty relay at Niagara Falls would shut down NYC. Unstable I needed more sleep. It is a horrible test. The stars are not aligned. perfect storm hit The drawbridge was up Specific I am no good at hockey. I am no good at chess. I am no good at math. Pessimistic Explanatory Style for Failures: Accounting for negative events or situations with internal, stable, and global explanations. Internal I didn't work hard enough. It's my fault. I wasn't careful. Stable I'm no good at tests. The questions are difficult. 6:00 traffic is always bad Women are no good at math. Men are no good at writing (I do not endorse these, which is a problem with negative stereotypes. Global/General I am no good at sports. I am no good at games. I am no good at school.

4 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 4 Personality and Health: Optimism versus Pessimism Let s look at these two explanatory styles in action. Optimistic Olive sees an attractive guy at a party and starts across the room to introduce herself and strike up a conversation. As she approaches him, the guy glances at her, then abruptly turns away hurt by the obvious snub Optimist Olive retreats to the buffet table. Munching on some fried zucchini, she mulls the matter over in her mind. At the same party, Pessimistic Pete sees an attractive female across the room and approaches her. He, too, gets a cold shoulder and retreats to the chips and clam dip. Standing at opposite ends of the buffet table, here is what each of them is thinking:

5 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 5 Personality and Health: Optimism versus Pessimism What s his problem? OPTIMISTIC OLIVE External explanation: the optimist blames other people or external circumstances PESSIMISTIC PETE I must have said the wrong thing. She probably saw me stick my elbow in the clam dip before I walked over. Internal explanation: the pessimist blames self I m really not looking my best tonight. I ve just got to get more sleep. He looks pretty preoccupied. Maybe he s waiting for his girlfriend to arrive. Or his boyfriend! Ha! Unstable, temporary explanation Specific explanations Let s face it, I m a pretty boring guy and really not very good-looking. Women never give me a second look, probably because I dress like a nerd and I never know what to say to them. Stable, permanent explanation Global, pervasive explanation Effect on subsequent behavior

6 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 6 Whoa! Who s that hunk over there?! Okay, Olive, turn on the charm! Here goes! (Perseverance after a rejection) Maybe I ll just hold down this corner of the buffet table or go home and soak up some TV. (Passivity and withdrawal after a rejection) Pessimistic explanatory style is associated with poorer physical health and a poorer immune system.

7 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 7 Observational Learning Learning that takes place by watching the actions of others.

8 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 8 Observational learning Many behaviors are not learned through classical conditioning or operant conditioning. Learning that occurs through observing the actions of others. Albert Bandura wanted to illustrate that people learn by watching others and that expectations are relevant for performing a behavior. In his experiment, he had three different groups of children watch an adult aggressive play with a Bobo doll. Behavior Consequence Group 1: Adults hit the Bobo doll The adults were reinforced for their aggressive behavior Group 2: Adults hit the Bobo doll The adults were punished for their aggressive behavior Group 3: Adults hit the Bobo doll There were no consequences for aggressive behavior.

9 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 9 Observational Learning After watching the adult interact with the Bobo doll, the children were allowed to play with the Bobo doll. Behavior Consequence Group 1: Adults hit the Bobo doll The adults were reinforced for their aggressive behavior Group 2: Adults hit the Bobo doll The adults were punished for their aggressive behavior Group 3: Adults hit the Bobo doll There were no consequences for aggressive behavior.

10 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 10 Did all of the children imitate the adults and display aggressive behavior? Did all of the children learn the aggressive behavior? Why would a behaviorist (Watson and Skinner) make a different prediction of whether the child would learn aggressive behavior?

11 Examples of observational learning LP 3D: Social Cog part2 11 Newton is very aggressive and greedy when it comes to food. Another one of our dogs, Tuffy is a very good and obedient dog (of course he is mine). My sister taught Tuffy to give us a hug. He understood this as a gesture of love and friendship (if the word applies to dogs). One day, Newton saw Tuffy give a hug and received a treat. Newton quickly learned this trick because food was involved. However, it was unclear that he learned that that this was a gesture of love and friendship. Newton imitated the behavior, but didn't understand the reasons for this behavior. Likewise, Kris s German shepherd (Xena, Warrior Princess) learned how to open doors by moving her paws up and down next to the doorknob. I joke that we need to quarantine his dog or else she will teach other dogs how to open doors by watching her.

12 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 12 Cognitive Processes that Influence Imitation Four cognitive processes interact to determine whether imitation of behavior will occur: Paying attention to another's behavior. Remembering the behavior to be imitated. Transforming the mental representation of the observed behavior into actions you can reproduce. (can t imitate Jackie Chan) Motivation to imitate the behavior.

13 LP 3D: Social Cog part2 13 Observational Learning If you observe your parents, friends or coworker lie, what factors influence whether or not you are going to imitate their behavior? Table 5.6: Factors that increase the likelihood of imitation 1. People who are rewarded for their behavior. 2. Warm, nurturing people. 3. People who have control over you or have the power to influence your life (such as supervisors and parents). 4. People who are similar to you in terms of age, gender, and interests. 5. People you perceive as having higher social status. 6. When the task to be imitated is not extremely difficult or easy. 7. If you lack the confidence in your own abilities in a particular situation. 8. If the situation is ambiguous or unfamiliar. 9. If you've been reinforced for imitating the same behavior in the past.