Briefly discuss how Skinner's principles of operant conditioning can be applied to the structure and development of personality, and compare them to Bandura's social-cognitive theory viewpoint

What will be an ideal response?

Skinner's views on personality were similar to his views on all other human behavior; it is learned through conditioning. He had little interest in unobservable cognitive processes and embraced a strong determinism, asserting that behavior is fully determined by environmental stimuli. Personality, according to Skinner, is based in response tendencies and acquired through learning over the course of the lifespan.

Bandura developed social learning theory focusing on how cognitive factors such as expectancies regulate learning. He proposed that internal mental events, external environmental events, and overt behavior all influence one another. His theory of observational learning holds that behavior is shaped by exposure to models, or a person whose behavior is observed.

Bandura has emphasized self-efficacy in his research, referring to one's belief about one's ability to perform behaviors that should lead to expected outcomes. He believed that self-efficacy (or lack thereof) influences which challenges people tackle and how well they perform.