fei75766_ch17_534-568.indd 567  02/24/20 10:49 AM
Chapter 17    Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory567
•Human functioning isaproduct ofthemutual interaction ofenvironmental 
events, behavior, andpersonal factors, amodel called triadic reciprocal 
causation. 
•Chance encounters andfortuitous events aretwoimportant environmental 
factors thatinfluence people’s livesinunplanned andunexpected ways.
•Human agency means thatpeople cananddoexercise ameasure ofcontrol 
overtheirlives.
•Self-efficacy refers topeople’s belief thattheyarecapable ofperforming 
those behaviors thatcanproduce desired outcomes inaparticular situation.
•Proxy agency occurs when people havethecapacity torelyonothers for
goods andservices. 
•Collective efficacy refers totheconfidence thatgroups ofpeople havethat
theircombined efforts willproduce social change.
•People havesome capacity forself-regulation, andtheyusebothexternal and
internal factors toself-regulate.
•External factors provide uswithstandards forevaluating ourbehavior aswell
asexternal reinforcement intheform ofrewards received from others. 
•Internal factors inself-regulation include (1)self-observation, (2)judgmental 
processes, and(3)self-reaction.
•Through selective activation anddisengagement of internal control, people can
separate themselves from theinjurious consequences oftheiractions.
•Four principal techniques ofselective activation anddisengagement of
internal control are(1)redefining behavior, (2)displacing or diffusing 
responsibility, (3)disregarding or distorting the consequences of behavior, and
(4)dehumanizing or blaming the victims fortheirinjuries.
•Dysfunctional behaviors, suchasdepression, phobias, andaggression, 
areacquired through thereciprocal interaction ofenvironment, personal 
factors, andbehavior. 
•Social cognitive therapy emphasizes cognitive mediation, especially perceived 
self-efficacy.
References
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