Counseling Perspectives

The final section of the paper compares Bandura's (1977) and Rogers' (1961) perspectives. Similarities and differences are delineated regarding the two theories' views of human nature, their models of the role of counselor, their theoretical concepts and assumptions, and their perspective of the goals and treatment of counseling.

Albert Bandura: Social Learning Theory

In his book Albert Bandura (1977) focuses attention on the conditions that affect the acquisition, performance and maintenance of human behavior. It is noted that social learning theory differs from other behavioral theories because it postulates that certain thoughts or cognitions are central to the human being's ability to learn. Prior to this, only the environmental stimuli and consequent overt behaviors were focused upon in behavioral theories.

Key cognitive learning processes postulated by the social learning theory model are said to be:

(1) Observational learning in which one learns from watching others; in other words, others "model" the behaviors that are learned. Bandura (1977

. . .
f personality as well as the model's clinical applications. His personality theory states that the ways in which we experience events and self is central to mental health or the lack thereof. The sense of self is said to represent an organized pattern or set of experiences and perceptions. In our daily functioning we seek to preserve the sense of self and, beyond this, to move toward self-actualization said to be a process of continuing growth and development. Self-actualization, according to Rogers (1961), involves continuous openness to experience and the ability to integrate experiences into an expanded, more differentiated sense of self. Self-actualizing or "fully functioning" people are trusting of themselves as well as others. Also, they are open to their own experiences as well as those of others, spontaneous and flexible, free to be creative, and able to respond to others in a genuine, non-defensive way. Rogers' (1961) view of the conditions that produce growth and positive changes holds that people are most able to actualize when they have a sense of self and when their self-worth that is not easily threatened. As to the influence of childhood on personality development, Rogers states that during the early ye
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
People Bandura, Becoming Person, Accordingly Rogers, Carl Rogers, Albert Bandura, Bandura Rogers, Christian Church, Carl Rogers--characterizes, Differences Rogers', social learning, social learning theory, learning theory, , sense self, rogers 1961, rogerian theory, bandura 1977, growth development, positive regard, becoming person, mental health, unconditional positive regard, mental health psychopathology, theory rogerian theory, learning theory rogerian,
Approximate Word count = 2277
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

More Essays on Counseling Perspectives