Use Bandura’s concept of reciprocal determinism to explain Tammy and Brian’s breastfeeding experiences. How does this compare with Sullivan’s explanation?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Bandura suggested that the person (P), behavior (B), and the environment (E) all influence each other. Tammy and Brian’s breastfeeding experiences can be used to illustrate this. Tammy (P) influenced the experience in that she was the person engaging in the breastfeeding and in that her cognitive and emotional reactions to nursing influenced Brian (E), as did the experience (B), itself. Brian could sense Tammy’s resentment and anxiety. Furthermore, Tammy’s negative reaction to nursing (B influencing P) forced her to stop and replace it with bottle-feeding (B). Brian (E) influenced Tammy (P) because he was a demanding baby and often latched onto the breast incorrectly. The environment (E) also influenced the event in that Tammy was a first-time mother and was unprepared for the time needed for, and discomfort she experienced while, breastfeeding (B).
Bandura’s explanation of the breastfeeding experience is quite different than Sullivan’s. Whereas Bandura’s theory could explain it through the use of reciprocal determinism, as just described, and emphasized cognitive, as well as social factors, Sullivan’s theory explains it through the use of interpersonal relationships, especially through the use of personifications (good mother/bad mother) and the need for tenderness.