Triadic Reciprocal Determinism
Updated 2026-08-10
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
A theory advanced by Albert Bandura holding that human functioning is determined by the reciprocal interaction of three classes of influence: personal factors such as cognition, affect, and biology; behavior; and the external environment. Its core proposition is that none of the three is primary, so explanations reducing outcomes to either disposition or situation are incomplete. The qualifier is that the reciprocal influences are not equal in strength or simultaneous; their relative weight varies by activity and circumstance.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Triangle split: separate the personal, behavioral, and environmental contributors to a given outcome. - Dominant leg: ask which of the three is currently driving the loop and which is being driven. - Lever choice: intervene on environment or belief rather than only pushing behavior directly.
Anchor fast decisions
Each element both shapes and is shaped by the others, so a change in belief alters behavior, behavior alters the environment, and the altered environment feeds back into belief. Because the loop has several entry points, intervening anywhere can shift the whole system, and unidirectional causal stories miss the feedback that sustains the pattern.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocal_determinismverified
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