Reciprocal Determinism

Reciprocal determinism is a construct proposed by Albert Bandura within his social learning theory. Social learning theory focuses on behavior and learning within social contexts, and it posits that an individual's behavior changes after direct experience or after observing a model's behavior (otherwise known as vicarious learning). The four processes involved in vicarious learning are paying attention, retaining, reproducing, and having the motivation to emit a model's behavior.

Reciprocal determinism suggests that individuals function as a result of a dynamic and reciprocal interaction among their behavior, environment, and personal characteristics (Bandura, 1997). Personal characteristics include one's thoughts, emotions, expectations, beliefs, goals, and so forth. Behavior is conceptualized as a person's skills and actions. Lastly, environment is considered to be a person's social and physical surroundings. All three systems interact with each other; therefore, a change in one will influence the others as well. Reciprocal determinism indicates that people do have a say in their future, because of reciprocal interactions.

Reciprocal determinism is relevant to school learning. A child's behaviors may be the result of an interaction between the environment and his or her personal characteristics. For instance, a child may be frustrated by a mismatch between his or her academic abilities and the instruction or curriculum. This frustration may lead to disruptive behaviors, which result in the teacher becoming upset as well. Therefore, understanding reciprocal determinism may be very helpful in reducing disruptive or aggressive behaviors and in altering negative and defeating cycles. Likewise, from an academic perspective, if a child is experiencing [Page 445]difficulties in a class, it is important to consider environmental issues (i.e., instruction, curriculum, home and social environment, etc.) that could be affecting the child's academic performance. Very importantly, when a school psychologist recognizes that a change in one system will influence the others, his or her following decisions should be made in favor of interventions that will have the most positive impact on that system.