A basic assumption of Rotter’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) relates directly to our daily lives. We have goals to guide us; some explicitly stated, and others less so. When Goals are clearly defined and measurable, it is easier to know (and feel) when we accomplish something desired. People vary in their goal-setting strategies, some more effective than others. Given the assumption we are goal-directed, let’s examine what this means in activities of daily living.
Goal-directedness is, by its Very Nature, Directional
In pursuing a goal or goals, we cannot assume goal-directedness is always desirable. We sometimes pursue goals and accomplish our mission, only to come out on the losing side of the equation. A person whose goal is to have a sufficient supply of alcohol on hand to fulfill a greedy taste is pursuing a goal that is ultimately self-destructive. It is essential to have goals that direct behaviors toward health, safety, happiness, and a well-lived life. More about that later.
In SLT, as a science-based theory, a goal is defined by how a person interacts with the environment. Thus, we have a person, and we have an environment. We can speak of external reinforcements when we focus on environmental conditions (i.e., outside of ourselves) directing our behaviors. We can discuss personal needs when we focus on the person (i.e., inside ourselves) directing our behaviors. In both cases, we discuss a person interacting with a meaningful environment.
Goal Setting is not a simple matter, but it is quickly understood by those trying to establish a course of action in a complicated, confusing world. Positive goal setting is highly personal, yet not as common as one might think. As a clinical psychologist working with people “seeking happiness,” I find it routine to observe a lack of clarity regarding goals. Usually, when goals are expressed, they are vague, reflecting only a general idea of what is wanted and rarely useful in defining specific behaviors taken to resolve the current conflict(s). Vagueness is not helpful.
Vagueness is a vital issue to address early on in therapy/counseling. Without a clear understanding of goals, it is virtually impossible to determine what behaviors might be encouraged to achieve them. The person (and the therapist) is functioning within a “mental quandary,” there is little reason to expect positive outcomes when goals remain ambiguous and confusing.
The Personal Concerns Inventory (PCI) and Goal Setting
To resolve ambiguity regarding goals, I developed a self-assessment tool to establish clear goals immediately, which benefits the client and counselor/therapist. Voila! The PCI measures over 1000 personal concerns in about 20 minutes and changes in these concerns over time – with repeated self-assessments. Completing the PCI generates an immediate online “This is Me!” report measuring personal concerns rated at the time of measurement. Because completion of the PCI and the results are for clients’ eyes only, we eliminate “evaluation apprehension” affecting the inclination to look good in the eyes of others – at the expense of valid self-assessments.
The PCI delivers a clear portrait of what matters to you and what you can focus on when seeking rapid personal change. This is called FOCUSED ACTION within Positive PERFORMANCE Psychology. (We are ready for the action that matters). We are goal-directed, as expressed in our self-assessed personal concerns, and we are interacting with an environment where concerns can be resolved, depending on how aligned our focused behaviors are with strategic goal setting.
How Do We Define a Personal Concern?
In SLT and Positive PERFORMANCE Psychology, a personal concern is one of two kinds. It can be a HIGH expectation for losing a HIGHLY VALUED REWARD. It can be a LOW expectancy for achieving a HIGHLY VALUED REWARD. In the first instance, it could be a significant fear of losing a spouse to a dreaded disease. The second could be discouragement associated with not getting into the college I applied to. In both instances, goal-directed behaviors are frustrated by the expectation of adverse outcomes.
All personal concerns are about the conflict between what one wants and what one expects can be achieved. When you clearly understand personal concerns, you can initiate a strategic, goal-directed plan to resolve conflict. Once again, FOCUSED ACTION is a crucial concept in Positive PERFORMANCE Psychology.