Why do you do what you do and choose what you choose?

Julian Rotter’s social learning theory is a pioneering work in the field of behaviorism. It is based on the premise that most human behaviors are learned.. Rotter was not the only one to raise this perspective, but he was one of the first to do so.

From the point of view of Rotter’s social learning theory, the family environment, the social environment and the culture in which someone is born and develops are the determining factors of their behavior. A person is the result of the way they perceive others and the responses that the environment offers to their actions..

Julian Rotter first presented his theory of social learning in 1954, in the work Social Learning and Clinical Psychology. He based his work on several experiments, done under controlled conditions, especially with children and university students. His work, to some extent, was intended to be a critique of Skinner’s work; yes, without leaving behaviorism, since both were.

According to Rotter, learning occurs from one’s own experience, but also from that of others.

Julian Rotter’s social learning theory

Julian Rotter defines personality as the result of the interaction of an individual with his “significant environment”, that is, with the environment that has an impact on it. He points out that personality is learned and that it is built and oriented towards the achievement of specific goals in each of its manifestations.

Social learning theory points out that, at its base, The conduct is oriented towards the search for positive reinforcement, that is, responses of approval or reward from the people in the environment with whom one interacts. At the same time, the motivation for behavior is based on the avoidance of punishment.

At the same time, behavior is shaped by learning that are built throughout life. If a behavior generates reinforcement, it tends to be repeated. If, on the other hand, it provokes punishment, it tends to become extinct. However, this is also learned from viewing the consequences of the behaviors of others. That is, you learn from your own experience, but also from that of others.

The Basics of Rotter’s Social Learning Theory

Rotter’s social learning theory is developed around four basic concepts. These configure the basic motivation of the behavior. Let’s see what they are and what each of them means.

Behavioral potential

It has to do with the probability of reinforcement that a person anticipates when performing a certain behavior in certain circumstances.. Its probability will depend on the perception/interpretation we have of a certain situation. This perception, in turn, would be conditioned by the circumstances of the field/ecosystem in which the behavior would be implemented and by the conscious preference towards a specific behavior.

Expectation

It is the probability that an individual perceives that reinforcement will occur based on a specific behavior. under certain conditions. Ultimately, the expected response in specific conditions. This expectation would be formed from previous learning and generalization, or association with similar situations.

Reinforcement value

It is the degree of preference one has for one reward, or reinforcement, over another.. It also depends on the learning acquired and is a factor that affects expectation.

The expectation of reward does not necessarily determine the choice. A person may prefer the reward that is more accessible, compared to another that is larger, but more difficult to obtain.

Psychological situation

It is the combination of internal and external factors, which results in a specific perception and produces a specific response. to a stimulus. In social learning theory it is considered that a behavior is predictable when the psychological situation of a subject is known.

Rotter’s theory influenced Bandura’s social learning theory.

The locus of control

Another essential concept in social learning theory is that of “locus of control.”. The word “locus” means ‘place’. Thus, when we talk about locus of control, we refer to the place or situation in which a subject is located in order to obtain a reward or reinforcer.

The locus of control can be internal or external. The first refers to the subjective position of the person, facing a situation. The second has to do with the way an individual relates to external elements, in the same situation. The locus of control, ultimately, is the generalized expectation that a subject has in a specific situation. It is the essential element of personality, according to Rotter.

These would be the basic concepts of Rotter’s social learning theory. These approaches had an important impact on the subsequent work of Albert Bandura and on the development of behaviorism in general.

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