Question

A psychologist on the Larry King Show explained Patty Hearst's transformation into an SLA terrorist as follows "Patty wanted to look like a cool kid who could carry a gun and cause fear instead of a princess heiress. So, Patty kept behaving like a terrorist until she had everyone fooled--even herself." Which theory best fits this psychologist's description of Patty?

a) Social cognitive theory
b) Operant conditioning
c) Cognitive dissonance theory
d) Terror management theory

Answer 1

The psychologist's description of Patty Hearst's transformation aligns with the Social cognitive theory, which attributes changes in self-perception and behavior to the interaction of cognitive processes, behavior, and context.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to social cognitive theory, people learn and adopt new behaviors by observing others and by the outcomes of their own behavior. This theory emphasizes the influence of cognition and learning as sources of individual differences in personality. The description suggests that Patty Hearst engaged in terrorist behaviors and gradually began to identify with her actions, indicating a change in behavior and self-perception influenced by the environment and cognitive processes.

This reflects the concept of reciprocal determinism, where cognitive processes, behavior, and context interact, each factor influencing and being influenced by the others. Hence, Patty's transformation can be attributed to her continuous engagement in terrorist activities, which changed how she viewed herself and was perceived by others.