Person Variables vs. Situation Variables Walter Mischel argued that most traditi

Question

Person Variables vs. Situation Variables

Walter Mischel argued that most traditional personality theories focus on person variables (variables that are thought to exist in a person) and do not focus on situation variables (variables that are thought to exist in a situation).

Based on your reading about Walter Mischel, answer the following:

Explain the proposition given by Walter Mischel on the focus of traditional personality theories on person variables instead of situation variables in your own words.

Skinner studied overt behavior and rejected studying internal processes as determinants of behavior.

Based on your reading about Skinner, answer the following:

Discuss why Skinner studied overt behavior and rejected studying internal processes as determinants of behavior.

Explanation / Answer

Walter Mischel believes that a person has a tendency to believe that he will get the same outcome in different situations based on various individual parameters like a person's sikill, precision,ability, competence,self-values, thinking, perception and expected outcome.He further emphasized on the ability of a person to face particular situations and further his ability to resist and overcome unfavourable situations and develop circumstances for favourable situations rather than the unfavourable factors deciding the outcome and behavior of persons with his personality.

Skinner--He studied overt behavior and rejected the internal processes which determine the behavior of the person as it is evident from the example of private thinking and behavior of the person in case of a decision to wear the helmet to avoid accidents or a private thinking of not wearing a helmet and enjoying the free air and breeze which is contradictory decision and thinking.The private thinking and behavior decides the outcome in many situations rather than the inner conscious which according to Skinner has no role until some personal private decision finally overrules this inner thinking which has no physical meaning and sense.Private thinking cannot be intercepted by others and the severity of outcome is analysed by the personal thinking of the person which further decides the behavior of the person rather than just the inner conscious thinking with no behavioral output in reality.Private events are different from public events and are visible to people in the society.

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