Two boys are fighting on school grounds. Fighting is against school rules, and the boys know this. Even so, a teacher who sees them lets them continue to fight rather than punishing them for doing so. From the perspective of social cognitive theory, these boys will be:
A) Less likely to fight in the future
B) More likely to fight in the future
C) Likely to feel guilty when they stop fighting
D) Likely to imitate more appropriate social behaviors on future occasions

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to social cognitive theory, behavior is influenced by the interplay of personal factors, environmental factors, and behavior itself. In this scenario, the boys are being reinforced for their fighting behavior because they are not being punished for it. This lack of punishment can be seen as an environmental factor that is encouraging the behavior to continue. Therefore, the boys are more likely to fight in the future because the behavior has not been suppressed or punished.

Two Boys Are Fighting on School Grounds