Question 1

Which one of the following strategies is most likely to promote self-regulation in students?

Accepted Answer

Advising students to break a project down into smaller tasks and reinforce themselves after completing each one promotes self-regulation by helping students manage their time and motivation, ultimately leading to greater success in completing the project. The other options may have other benefits, but they do not specifically target self-regulation skills.

Question 2

Three of the following are examples of self-regulation as social cognitive theorists describe it. Which one is not a good example of self-regulation?

Accepted Answer

Self-regulation involves self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement. Option D is not self-regulation because the student is motivated by an external reward from the teacher, rather than regulating their own behavior through internal processes.

Question 3

Several students in Mr. Samber's class have trouble keeping themselves on task during independent seatwork assignments. Mr. Samber gives each of these students a piece of paper on which they are to make a check mark every time they find themselves doing something other than their assignment during seatwork time. Mr. Samber is using which one of the following techniques for changing behavior?

Accepted Answer

Mr. Samber is using self-monitoring as a technique to help these students stay on task. By providing the students with a tool to track their own behaviors, they are able to become more aware of when they are not completing their seatwork and can then work to change that behavior. This is a form of self-regulation, which is a valuable skill for students to develop.

Question 4

Which of the following teachers most clearly illustrates teacher self efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Mrs. Sand's belief in her abilities as a teacher and confidence in her ability to teach students is an example of teacher self efficacy, which is the belief that one can effectively teach their students and positively influence their learning outcomes. The other choices do not necessarily demonstrate such self efficacy.

Question 5

Which one of the following best illustrates collective self-efficacy in teachers?

Accepted Answer

Collective self-efficacy refers to the belief of a group of individuals that they can achieve a common goal through their combined effort. In this scenario, the teachers at West Middle School are conferring weekly about students who they believe are at risk for academic failure, and they are confident that, by working together, they can help these students be successful at school. This illustrates collective self-efficacy because the teachers are working together to achieve a common goal (helping at-risk students succeed) and have confidence in their ability to do so. Choices B, C, and D do not illustrate collective self-efficacy as clearly.

Question 6

Using the perspective of social cognitive theory, describe the effects that the nonoccurrence of expected reinforcement and expected punishment have on later behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using the perspective of social cognitive theory,...

Question 7

Which of the following examples best illustrates a child using effortful control.

Accepted Answer

Allison is aware of the impact of her actions on others and uses effortful control to regulate her behavior and avoid hurting others' feelings.

Question 8

Define the concept of vicarious reinforcement and give a concrete example to illustrate this concept in action. Also, describe the effect that vicarious reinforcement has on a person's behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define the concept of vicarious reinforcement and...

Question 9

These four teachers claim to be practicing principles from social cognitive theory. Based on the following information, which one is not?

Accepted Answer

Mr. Carlson's behavior is not an example of social cognitive theory because he is not modeling a behavior for his students.

Question 10

Mark often comes to school wearing sandals instead of sneakers on days he has physical education. He is getting angry with himself regarding his chronic forgetfulness about appropriate footwear. His teacher suggests that he treat himself to an hour of television only on days when he has remembered to wear sneakers. Mark's teacher is suggesting that Mark use:

Accepted Answer

Mark's teacher is suggesting that he use self-reinforcement by rewarding himself with an hour of television only on days when he remembers to wear sneakers. Self-reinforcement involves rewarding oneself for desired behavior, and this can help to increase the frequency of that behavior in the future.

Question 11

From the perspective of social cognitive theory, which one of the following children most clearly shows a key ingredient of self-regulation?

Accepted Answer

Bob's pride in keeping promises indicates an internal standard of behavior, which is a key component of self-regulation according to social cognitive theory. This theory emphasizes the role of internal processes in controlling one's actions.

Question 12

The textbook describes Meichenbaum's five steps for teaching a child how to regulate his or her own behavior. Which one of the following most accurately summarizes these steps?

Accepted Answer

Meichenbaum's five steps involve modeling the use of self-instructions, encouraging the child to use similar self-instructions, first aloud and then silently, while performing the same task. This is emphasized in option A. Option B refers to teaching new behaviors and self-reinforcement, which is not part of Meichenbaum's approach. Option C mentions self-monitoring, which is part of Meichenbaum's approach, but not the primary focus of his five steps. Option D refers to setting standards for performance, which is not a focus of Meichenbaum's approach to teaching self-regulation.

Question 13

John is motivated to bring up his grade in chemistry. He has decided to go to his chemistry class every day at lunch and after school. John's decision is an example of:

Accepted Answer

John's decision to go to class every day at lunch and after school is an example of self imposed stimulus control because he is intentionally placing himself in an environment that will increase his chances of success (attending class regularly) and decrease his chances of failure (skipping class). This is a form of behavioral self-regulation in which an individual modifies their own environment to control their behavior. The other options (modeling, self efficacy, and contingency contracts) do not accurately describe John's behavior in this scenario.

Question 14

Maria is what social cognitive theorists would describe as a self-regulating individual when it comes to her moral behavior. Given this information, which one of the following descriptions best describes Maria's moral behavior?

Accepted Answer

According to social cognitive theory, a self-regulating individual is one who has an internal set of standards for behavior and monitors their own actions based on those standards. The fact that Maria is described as self-regulating suggests that she is likely to adhere to her internal set of moral standards and feel guilty when she violates them. Therefore, option D is the best description of Maria's moral behavior.

Question 15

When people begin to record their own behavior, the frequency of that behavior:

Accepted Answer

When people begin to record their own behavior, the frequency of that behavior may go either up or down. This is because recording behavior can increase self-awareness, making individuals more conscious of their actions and potentially leading to a decrease in behaviors they wish to change. On the other hand, recording behavior can also act as a form of self-monitoring and reinforcement, leading to an increase in desired behaviors. Therefore, it is not always predictable whether the frequency of behavior will increase or decrease when people begin to record their own behavior.

Question 16

Which one of the following statements best reflects the concept of collective self-efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Collective self-efficacy refers to the confidence individuals have in their ability to work together effectively to accomplish a specific task or achieve a goal. Therefore, the best statement reflecting this concept is C: "Learners may have greater confidence about accomplishing a task when they work with others rather than alone." This statement suggests that individuals feel more confident in their ability to accomplish tasks when working in a group, reflecting a collective sense of self-efficacy. A, B, and D do not directly address the concept of collective self-efficacy.

Question 17

Which one of the following is the best example of generalized self-efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Generalized self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform well in a variety of situations. Option A best exemplifies this as Evan's good study habits give him confidence that he will do well in a wide variety of college courses. Option B is an example of domain-specific self-efficacy as Rashida's mastery of algebra does not necessarily translate to confidence in other areas. Option C is an example of achievement rather than self-efficacy as Shawna's success in figure skating is the result of her skill and training rather than a belief in her ability to perform well in a variety of situations. Option D does not clearly demonstrate self-efficacy as Lance's enjoyment of basketball does not necessarily reflect a belief in his ability to perform well in other areas.

Question 18

Mr. Limpitlaw wants to increase his female students' self-efficacy for mastering simple car maintenance procedures. He can best do this by:

Accepted Answer

Seeing other girls successfully perform the task will increase the students' self-efficacy more than just watching a film or reading instructions. Additionally, hearing about the teacher's own experience may not be as effective as seeing someone who is like them perform the task successfully.

Question 19

John's teacher gives him constructive criticism about how to improve the poem he has just written. According to the textbook's discussion of social cognitive theory, what effect is such criticism likely to have on John's self-efficacy for writing poetry, and why?

Accepted Answer

According to social cognitive theory, constructive criticism can enhance self-efficacy by communicating the message that an individual has the ability to improve and succeed. Therefore, John's teacher's constructive criticism about his poem is likely to enhance his self-efficacy for writing poetry.

Question 20

Which one of the following best illustrates the self-reaction aspect of self-regulation?

Accepted Answer

The self-reaction aspect of self-regulation involves an emotional response to one's own behavior or performance. Adele feeling terrible after inadvertently hurting a classmate's feelings illustrates this aspect, as she is reacting emotionally to her own actions. The other options involve external motivations or monitoring, rather than a self-reaction.

Quiz 5: Social Cognitive Theory