Cognitive Social Learning Walter Mischel

Cognitive Social Learning
Walter Mischel
Type of psychology: Personality
Fields of study: Behavioral and cognitive models; personality theory
Mischel’s social learning theory presents a cognitive-social alternative to traditional
personality theories. He posits that behavior is determined by a complex interaction of
situational and cognitive variables and cannot be predicted from a few widely generalized
traits. Consistent features in behavior result from cognitive person variables, defined
as acquired and relatively stable modes of information processing.
Key concepts
• construction competencies
• encoding strategy
• expectancies
• person variable
• personal construct
• personality trait
• prototype
• stimulus value
PsychologistWalter Mischel developed a cognitive social learning approach
to personality that presents a serious challenge to traditional theories and
their central tenet that behavior can be predicted from a few widely generalized
traits. In his influential book Personality and Assessment (1968), Mischel
reviewed the literature on personality traits. Personality traits can be defined
as a stable disposition to behave in a given way over time and across situations.
Although Mischel found impressive consistencies for some attributes,
such as intelligence, the vast majority of behavior patterns were not consistent,
even in highly similar situations. Mischel concluded that behavior is
largely determined by situational variables that interact in complex ways
with individual modes of information processing. Stable features in behavior
result from acquired cognitive person variables (relatively stable individual
differences that influence how people interact with their world).