Question 1

"Self-efficacy" refers to a child's belief in

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to a child's belief and confidence in their ability to accomplish tasks, not their observations of others' behavior, reinforcement contingencies, disciplinary techniques of parents or society's moral values.

Question 2

Both Piaget and Bandura would agree that the child's self-concept

Accepted Answer

Both Piaget and Bandura emphasize the role of the child's self-concept in shaping their behaviors and interactions with others. They would agree that the child's self-concept affects how they perform and react to others, rather than being unchanged or easily modifiable by peers or parents. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Question 3

There is an old adage: "Do what I say, not what I do." What do research results tell us about children's responses in a situation in which a parent says one thing but does another?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that children are more likely to imitate what a parent does rather than what they say. Inconsistency between the parent's words and actions can lead to confusion and lack of trust. Children are also more likely to imitate same-gender parents. However, learning from modeling is not always automatic and can be influenced by various factors such as the child's age, developmental stage, and level of attention to the parent's behavior.

Question 4

Because parents tend to be inconsistent in their rewards to their children,

Accepted Answer

Partial reinforcement patterns, where rewards are inconsistent, are a major factor in the establishment of personality because they make it difficult for children to learn which behaviors are associated with positive consequences. So, option A is the most accurate choice.

Question 5

A strength of the learning theory approach to personality is that it

Accepted Answer

The learning theory approach can explain both consistency and inconsistency in children's behavior. It suggests that behavior is shaped by experiences and environmental factors, so it can account for both habitual behaviors and those that may vary in different situations.

Question 6

If you want your dog to continue fetching a stick once he has mastered the trick, you should reinforce him

Accepted Answer

Partial reinforcement schedules, where rewards are given only some of the time, are known to be more effective in maintaining a learned behavior like fetching a stick, compared to continuous reinforcement where the behavior is rewarded every time. This is because partial reinforcement leads to a behavior that is more resistant to extinction.

Question 7

In order to explain inconsistencies in children's behaviors in different situations, learning theorists search for differing ________ in the different settings.

Accepted Answer

Learning theorists focus on how behavior is shaped by reinforcement contingencies in different settings, rather than on physiological responses, unconscious motivations, temperamental dispositions, or personality types.

Question 8

Observational learning or modeling involves

Accepted Answer

Observational learning or modeling involves learning by watching someone else perform some action. This is different from classical or operant conditioning, where a response is learned through association with a stimulus or consequence.

Question 9

Although Piaget and Bandura agree on the impact that self-concept or self-scheme has once it develops, Piaget emphasizes ________ while Bandura emphasizes ________ as a causal factor.

Accepted Answer

Piaget emphasized internal processes, such as cognitive development and perception, as the causal factor influencing the development of self-concept, while Bandura emphasized reinforcement and modeling from external stimuli.

Question 10

A basic proposition of psychoanalytic approaches to personality is that

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytic approaches suggest that behavior is not solely determined by conscious motives or processes, but also by unconscious ones, such as repressed or suppressed memories, desires, and conflicts. This is a basic proposition of the psychoanalytic theory of personality.

Question 11

A significant weakness of learning theories is that they

Accepted Answer

Learning theories focus mainly on external events rather than internal processes, which limits their ability to explain how developmental changes occur. This also means that they do not provide a complete picture of development and may overlook the impact of individual differences and environmental factors on a child's development.

Question 12

All of the following propositions are part of learning theory EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Proposition B is not part of learning theory but rather relates to physiological processes and genetics. The other choices all relate to different aspects of learning theory, such as reinforcement, modeling, and the ways in which children acquire new behaviors and concepts.

Question 13

Whose theory supports an integration of learning models and cognitive-developmental approaches?

Accepted Answer

Bandura's social-cognitive theory supports an integration of learning models and cognitive-developmental approaches. He emphasizes the importance of both environmental influences and cognitive processes in shaping behavior and development.

Question 14

If Piaget's language is applied to Bandura's cognitive-developmental theory, the concept of one's own capacities, qualities, standards, and experiences would be called a(n)

Accepted Answer

The answer of If Piaget's language is applied to Bandura's...

Question 15

According to Bandura, a high school student who says that he failed a class because he didn't study enough, rather than claim that the reason he failed was because the class was too difficult, is demonstrating a(n)

Accepted Answer

Bandura's concept of internal locus of control involves individuals believing that their own actions and efforts are the cause of their successes and failures rather than external factors. The high school student in this scenario taking responsibility for his failure and citing lack of effort as the reason demonstrates an internal locus of control.

Question 16

Of the following theories of personality, which is the most clearly developmental?

Accepted Answer

The psychoanalytic theory of personality, developed by Sigmund Freud, is the most developmental theory among the choices given. This theory explains that personality develops through stages and is influenced by both conscious and unconscious processes, particularly during childhood experiences. Freud believed that unresolved conflicts during these early stages could lead to later psychological problems. Thus, the psychoanalytic theory is primarily focused on the influence of childhood experiences on personality development.

Question 17

Which theorist is most closely associated with observational learning?

Accepted Answer

Observational learning, also known as social learning, is most closely associated with Albert Bandura. He developed the social learning theory, which emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others in learning. Bandura's Bobo doll experiment was a classic demonstration of observational learning, showing how children can learn aggressive behaviors simply by observing an adult model.

Question 18

Biological temperament theorists argue that ________ serves as a central mediating process; whereas social learning theorists argue that ________ acts as a central mediator.

Accepted Answer

Biological temperament theorists argue that inborn temperament is a central mediating process in personality development, while social learning theorists see self-concept as a central mediator. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Question 19

According to Bandura, what a child learns from watching someone else depends on

Accepted Answer

According to Bandura, what a child learns from watching someone else depends on their attention to the model, their memory of the model's actions, their physical ability to imitate the actions, and their motivation to imitate the actions. Social skills, intelligence, and morality may also play a role, but they are not identified by Bandura as being fundamental to observational learning.

Question 20

Roger is working on a project at home. However, his 4-year-old son seems to pester him the most when he is trying to solve a problem. Roger tries to ignore him, but usually gives in and stops what he is doing to pay attention to his son. Roger is actually

Accepted Answer

By giving in to his son's demands for attention, Roger is inadvertently reinforcing his son's behavior of pestering him while he is working on a project. This is an example of partial reinforcement, where the behavior is only reinforced some of the time, making it more resistant to extinction.

Quiz 9: Personality Development: Alternative Views