Question

Are the assumptions of SCT regarding the role of participants' beliefs (paragraph 3) consistent with a traditional behaviorist approach?

A. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach also emphasizes changes in behavior due to desirable and undesirable outcomes
B. Yes, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that repeated exposure to certain outcomes shapes beliefs regarding these outcomes
C. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that mental states are involved only in classical conditioning, not operant conditioning
D. No, because the traditional behaviorist approach holds that actual outcomes determine behavior, not cognitions regarding potential outcomes

Answer 1

The correct answer to the question is D. The assumptions of SCT about the role of participants' beliefs are not in line with traditional behaviorism, which emphasizes behavior as a result of actual consequences, not cognitions of potential outcomes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The assumptions of Social-Cognitive Theory (SCT) regarding the role of participants' beliefs are not consistent with a traditional behaviorist approach. According to SCT, cognition plays a significant role in learning and behavior. This perspective suggests that cognitive processes such as beliefs, expectations, and individual differences in personality are all influential in the learning process. This contrasts with the traditional behaviorist approach, which asserts that behavior is determined solely by its consequences without the involvement of mental states. The behaviorists, notably B.F. Skinner, endorsed the idea that reinforcements and punishments are what shape behavior, and inner mental states are considered irrelevant.

The correct answer to the question is D. Behaviorist approach focuses on the actual outcomes and their direct influence on behavior, whereas SCT emphasizes the role of cognitions about potential outcomes in determining behavior.