fei75766_ch18_569-609.indd 577  02/24/20 10:50 AM
Chapter 18     Rotter and Mischel: Cognitive Social Learning Theory577
Predicting General Behaviors
Topredict general behaviors, welookatDavid, whohasworked for18years in
Hoffman’s Hardware Store. David hasbeen informed that,because ofabusiness 
decline, Mr.Hoffman must cuthisworkforce andthatDavid maylosehisjob.
How canwepredict David’s subsequent behavior? WillhebegMr.Hoffman tolet
himremain withthecompany? Willhestrike outinviolence against thestore or
Mr.Hoffman? Willhedisplace hisanger andactaggressively toward hiswifeorchil-
dren? Willhebegin drinking heavily andbecome apathetic toward searching fora
newjob?Willheimmediately andconstructively begin looking foranother position?
Generalized Expectancies
Because most ofDavid’s possible behaviors arenewtohim,howcanwepredict 
what hewilldo?Atthispoint, theconcepts ofgeneralization andgeneralized expec -
tancy enter intoRotter’s theory. If,inthepast,David hasgenerally been rewarded 
forbehaviors thathaveincreased hissocial status, thenonlyaslight probability 
exists thathewillbegMr.Hoffman forajob,because suchactions arecontrary to
increased social status. Ontheother hand, ifhisprevious attempts atresponsible and
independent behaviors havegenerally been reinforced andifhehasthefreedom of 
movement —that is,theopportunity toapply foranother job—then, assuming heneeds 
work, ahighprobability exists thathewillapply foranother joborotherwise behave 
independently. Thisprediction, though notasspecific astheonepredicting thecol-
legestudent’s likelihood ofsleeping inaboring classroom, isnevertheless more useful 
insituations where rigorous control ofpertinent variables isnotpossible. Predicting 
David’s reaction totheprobable lossofajobisamatter ofknowing howheviews the
options available tohimandalsothestatus ofhispresent needs.
Needs
Rotter (1982) defined needs asanybehavior orsetofbehaviors thatpeople seeas
moving them inthedirection ofagoal. Needs arenotstates ofdeprivation orarousal 
butindicators ofthedirection ofbehavior. Thedifference between needs andgoals is
semantic only. When focus isontheenvironment, Rotter speaks ofgoals; when itis
ontheperson, hetalksofneeds.
Theconcept ofneeds allows formore generalized predictions thanpermitted 
bythefourspecific variables thatcomprise thebasic prediction formula. Ordinarily, 
personality theory deals withbroad predictions ofhuman behavior. Forexample, a
person withstrong needs fordominance willusually trytogainthepower position in
most interpersonal relationships aswellasinavariety ofother situations. Inspecific 
situations, however, adominant person maybehave inanondominant orevensub-
missive fashion. Thebasic prediction formula permits specific predictions, withthe
assumption, ofcourse, thatallrelevant information isathand. Itisthemore appro -
priate formula forcontrolled laboratory experiments butisinadequate inpredicting 
everyday behaviors. Forthisreason, Rotter introduced theconcept ofneeds andtheir
accompanying general prediction formula.Final PDF to printer