Functional Analysis

Functional Analysis
There is consensus, however, that human actions show at least some degree
of consistency, which is evidenced most strongly by the sense of continuity
people experience in their own selves. How can people reconcile the inconsistency
between their own impressions and the empirical data? Mischel’s
cognitive social learning perspective presents one possible solution to this
dilemma. Rather than trying to explain behavior by a few generalized traits,
Mischel has shifted the emphasis to a thorough examination of the relationship
between behavior patterns and the context in which they occur, as the
following example illustrates. Assume that parents are complaining about
their child’s demanding behavior and the child’s many tantrums. After observing
this behavior in various situations, a traditional personality theorist
might conclude that it manifests an underlying “aggressive drive.” In contrast,
a social learning theorist might seek to identify the specific conditions
under which the tantrums occur and then change these conditions to see if
the tantrums increase or decrease. This technique, termed “functional analysis”
(as described in Mischel in 1968), systematically introduces and withdraws
stimuli in the situation to examine how the behavior of interest
changes as a function of situational constraints.

The controversy sparked by Mischel’s work has not been completely resolved.
Few psychologists today, however, would assume an extreme position
and either argue that human actions are completely determined by traits or
advocate a total situation-specificity of behavior. As with so many controversies,
the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Sources for Further Study
Lieber, Robert M., and Michael D. Spiegler. Personality: Strategies and Issues.
7th ed. Monterey, Calif.: Brooks/Cole, 1996. Chapter 21 presents a readable synopsis of Mischel’s cognitive social-learning theory and reviews the
concept of person variables, Mischel’s work on delay of gratification, and
his position on the interaction of emotion and cognition. Highly recommended
as an easy introduction to Mischel’s work.
Mischel, Harriet N., and Walter Mischel, eds. Readings in Personality. New
York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973. Presents a collection of papers
by different authors on some of the central topics and viewpoints in personality
psychology. Provides in-depth analyses of various trait, state, and
social theories of personality. Several chapters by Walter Mischel present
his views on social learning, personality, and his empirical work on selfcontrol.
Mischel,Walter. Personality and Assessment. 1968. Reprint. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence
Erlbaum, 1996. Classic exposition of Mischel’s early work, containing
a compelling critique of traditional trait and state approaches to personality.
Discusses issues relevant to the assessment and modification of
maladaptive social behavior. Should be available in many public and all
university libraries.
__________. “Toward a Cognitive Social Learning Reconceptualization of
Personality.” Psychological Review 80, no. 4 (1973): 252-283. Written in response
to the many reactions Mischel’s 1968 book provoked in the research
community. Clarifies several common misunderstandings of
Mischel’s position (for example, the situation-specificity issue) and gives
a thorough presentation of his five personality variables. No specialized
knowledge in psychology or personality theory is necessary for the reader
to be able to follow the author’s main arguments.
Mischel, Walter, Yuichi Shoda, and Monica L. Rodriguez. “Delay of Gratification
in Children.” Science 244, no. 4907 (1989): 933-938. Presents an excellent,
brief summary of Mischel’s work on self-control and delay of gratification
spanning almost two decades. Discusses a number of stable
individual differences in information-processing and strategic behaviors
used by preschool children that were predictive of adult social adjustment.
Edelgard Wulfert
See also: Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Cognitive Psychology; Cognitive
Therapy; Learning; Personal Constructs: George A. Kelly; Social Learning:
Albert Bandura.