In Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, the Motivation component is primarily driven by what?

• A. Insight
• B. Observational Learning
• C. Reinforcement
• D. Memory

Answer: (C)

In Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, what drives motivation is the consequence of actions—reinforcement. When a behavior yields a positive outcome or when we observe someone else being rewarded for a similar action (vicarious reinforcement), we become motivated to imitate or repeat that behavior. Reinforcement strengthens the likelihood that a behavior will be repeated and guides future actions, making it the primary motivational force in this framework. Observational learning explains how we acquire new behaviors by watching others, but it’s reinforcement that supplies the motivational push. Memory stores past experiences and outcomes, not the active drive to act, and insight isn’t a central motivational construct in this theory.