Personality Theorists Bandura and Maslow

Personality is a fascinating subject to study, be former every person has a personality that is unique and complex. Personality theorists spend their time studying the reasons why pack act the way they do. Are their innate processes that ensure a person will react to a situation differently if he is hungry? How will two different people be establish if they some(prenominal)(prenominal) witness the same automobile crash?How conduct is affected and stubborn has been studied for years, and there are many different theories. Two theorists who have contributed significantly to this field of study are Bandura and Maslow.Bandura, like all behaviorists, was originally interested in the stimulus-response branch of psychology. Having studied Skinners come near to Behaviorism, Bandura did agree that away forces contributed to behaviors. He believed milieual situations and reinforcers lead to certain behaviors. just now Bandura also set out to answer some problems he set up with Skinne rs theory. As Wagner (2009) states, even in his earliest work, Bandura argued that accept behavior could only be caused by a stimulus-response cycle was as well simplistic.His studies led him to believe that behavior was not only a reaction to environmental stimuli as Skinner had proposed, but could also be wise(p) from watching a model perform the behavior that could be copied. He also believed that learning could be cognitive. One of the most significant observations Bandura make during his studies was that while the environment did cause behaviors, behaviors could also create an environment. This phenomenon he called reciprocal determinism The world and a persons behavior cause to each one other.Bandura also believed that self-efficacy contributed to behavior. A persons indispensable need to achieve goals could cause them to cause in a way that ensured them success. Due to his research, Bandura argued that external and internal factors affected behavior. People can choose to act a certain way, or the environment can cause them to act a certain way. Another theorist who made significant contributions to personality and behavior theory was Maslow. His most significant theory was his idea of a pecking order of human ask.At the most basic level, humans have intrinsic needs, such(prenominal) as food and shelter, and the feeling of safety. Internal factors such as cosmos hungry and the ability to breathe properly contribute to outward behaviors. Lemer (2000) summarized Maslows ideas into a practical application, by stating that, with children, adults should address the higher level needs for safety, security and knowledge only after the most primitive biologic needs are met. Clearly, internal needs factor into behavior.As a people move up the hierarchy however, external factors begin to play a much larger role in behavior choice. Concepts such as morality, respect, and self-esteem are influenced by external factors such as societal demands and persona l interactions. Maslow, like Bandura, believed that both internal and external factors contributed to behaviors. People behave certain ways at certain propagation due to a myriad of factors. twain of these theorists make powerful cases for the idea that behavior is both intrinsically and externally motivated. The case for internal motivation is solid.There are times when people choose to behave in a certain way due to a need for respect, to fulfill a perceived role, or to attain a goal. Their behavior during those times is due to an internal intrust for something. However, there are other times when environmental factors also cause behavior. A person may be trying to act a certain way, but a situation may arise that causes them to lurch the course of their behavior. It is also true that people can learn through simple observation, and this has to be caused by both internal and external factors.The environment and the situation the person is watching is shaping their behavior. But it also the internal need to duplicate the behavior of the other person that causes them to watch and learn. Both Bandura and Maslow believed that behavior was both internally and externally motivated. References Wagner, K. V. (2009). Albert Bandura biography. Retrieved May 10, 2009 from http//psychology. about. com/od/profilesofmajorthinkers/p/bio_bandura. htmfrom Lemer, P. S. (2000). Treat needs, not behavior Maslow for the millennium. New Developments, 6(2), 23-26.