Deck 16: Case Studies 29-30 Gordon Allport: Contributions

Question 1

Use Rotter's concept of reinforcement value to explain Barb's choosing between healthy/lower calorie food and higher calorie comfort food (e.g., junk food).

Answer 1

Reinforcement value is a matter of preferring one reinforcer over another.Barb finds comfort in relaxing with a dessert and cup of coffee.It reduces her stress level and is reinforcing.Likewise, she finds her new feelings of being attractive, and the compliments she gets from her friends about her weight loss, as reinforcing also.At this point she values the latter rewards more than the former and so chooses the behaviors that result in those reinforcements.

Question 2

Using Rotter's social learning theory, analyze Randall's behavior by answering the following questions.
What is locus of control, according to Rotter? What type of locus of control does Randall appear to have? Provide evidence for your answer.

Answer 2

Randall appears to have an external locus of control as is evidenced, for example, by his blaming his incarceration on bad luck and his poor grades on his teachers.

Question 3

Use Rotter's psychological needs and concept of freedom of movement to explain Barb's need to lose weight and feel attractive again.

Answer 3

Freedom of movement is the idea that certain behaviors can lead to the satisfaction of a need.People with high freedom of movement believe that their behaviors will result in satisfaction of a need, reinforcement or other positive experience.People with a low freedom of movement maintain the belief that behavior will lead to either punishment or failure.In other words, although they might try to meet certain needs through certain behaviors, they expect that they will be unable to do so.Barb feels the need to feel attractive and receive attention or recognition from others (recognition/status needs).By losing weight and toning up through exercise, she believes she is more likely to fulfill this need.Love and satisfaction needs may also be fulfilled through this behavior because Barb has a tendency to associate being slender with being attractive to men.

Question 4

Use Skinner's radical behaviorism to explain Randall's aggressive behavior.Compare and contrast Rotter's thoughts on reinforcement to those of Skinner.

Question 5

What is expectancy and reinforcement value, according to Rotter? How do they influence Randall's decision to argue/fight with a schoolmate who is verbally abusive?

Question 6

How is Rotter's concept of locus of control similar to Bandura's concept of self-efficacy? How is it different?

Question 7

What is behavior potential, according to Rotter? Find an example of it in the case study.What does Rotter say about the importance of the situation in determining behavior?

Question 8

Compare Rotter's freedom of movement to Adler's feelings of inferiority.

Question 9

Use Rotter's concept of behavior potential and his views on situational factors to explain Barb's eating habits while watching television, when she is stressed, and at parties.

Question 10

How does Rotter descibe interpersonal trust? Would Randall score high or low in interpersonal trust? Provide evidence for your answer.

Question 11

Using Rotter's social learning theory, analyze Barb's behavior by answering the following questions.
What is minimal goal level, according to Rotter? Find an example of it in the case study.

Question 12

Use Rotter's concept of expectancy to explain Barb's avoidance of eating junk food.

Question 13

What is freedom of movement according to Rotter?Use Rotter's psychological needs and concept of freedom of movement to explain Randall's decision to argue/fight with a schoolmate who is verbally abusive.

Question 14

Use Horney's theory to explain Randall's behavior.

Question 15

Using Rotter's social learning theory, analyze Barb's behavior by answering the following questions.
What type of locus of control does Barb appear to have? Provide evidence for your answer.