Student

The Trait Theory and the Social- Cognitive Theory differ in several ways. The Trait Theory suggests that people are who they are born with certain traits or characteristics. Inherited traits determine who you are and what you are. There are five trait clusters that are used to categorize a person. This suggests that people belong to one of the personality types; however the traits are measured in different degrees. This all probably means that you were born to be who you are. For example, a boxer would inherit aggression as a trait in order to succeed in what he does.

The Social-Cognitive theory suggests that people have the ability and power to affect their own actions to make specific things happen. In other words, people choose according to the outcome they want achieve. An individual’s decisions and choices make he/she who they are. We are not puppets; our thoughts determine our emotions and the way we behave, therefore affecting our personalities. Through personal experiences, our surroundings, and our behavior we develop our personality. Based on what we observe and understand, we become who we are. I want to major in drama because I want to be an actress but my mother tells me that I will be wasting my time because it is almost impossible to make a living in that profession, and I live in a small suburban town. The fact that I might not be able to make (personal) a living may influence me to not major in drama. Living in a small suburban town (environmental) may influence me to move or change my major. My decisions will affect who I am and d will become.

The similarity between the Trait Theory and the Social-Cognitive Theory is that they both are influenced by learning and other experiences. Although someone has a certain trait it can be moderated by that person’s actions and choices. So, to a certain extent I believe both theories are subject to be influenced by environmental