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Humanistic and Behavioral Theories of Personality

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1.What are the major differences between how a behaviorist and how a humanist would motivate someone?

2.How would the behavioral or social behavioral or social learning perspective explain interpersonal interactions?

3.How can the theories learned so far help you in your work?

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Solution Summary

The solution deals with the major differences regarding how a humanist and a behaviorist would go about motivating an individual, the explanation of interpersonal interactions from a social learning perspective, and how the theories can help one to work effectively.

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1. Behaviorist as related to motivating an individual:
A behaviorist (J.B.Watson, B.F.Skinner, I.P.Pavlov) opines that an individual learns to behave through a constant process of interaction with the surrounding environment. Further, an individual is motivated to behave in a particular manner through the process of reinforcement of behavioral responses. Positive reinforcement leads to strengthening of behavioral responses, while negative reinforcement leads to weakening of behavioral responses of an individual. Positive reinforcement motivates an individual to learn acceptable/desirable forms of behavior, while negative reinforcement leads one to unlearn unacceptable forms of behavioral responses. Thus, they help an individual to become a socially acceptable member in a societal set up.

Humanist as related to motivating an individual:
A humanist opines that an individual learns to behave through a constant process of interaction with others in the society. Such an interaction leads to the development of good interpersonal relationships, which in turn motivates an individual to develop a magnanimous personality. All human behavior is goal directed to satisfy ones needs. Human beings have the potential for attaining self-actualization, and good interpersonal interactions and relationships motivate an ...

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