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6. SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY OF MASS COMMUNICATION 129

memory codes and cognitive rehearsal of the coded information. Precon-
ceptions and affective states exert biasing influences on these representa-
tional activities. Similarly, recall involves a process of reconstruction
rather than simply retrieval of registered events.
In the third subfunction in modeling—the behavioral production
process—symbolic conceptions are translated into appropriate courses of
action. This is achieved through a conception-matching process in which
conceptions guide the construction and execution of behavior patterns,
which are then compared against the conceptual model for adequateness.
The behavior is modified on the basis of the comparative information to
achieve close correspondence between conception and action. The mecha-
nism for translating cognition into action involves both transformational
and generative operations. Execution of a skill must be constantly varied
to suit changing circumstances. Adaptive performance, therefore, requires
a generative conception rather than a one-to-one mapping between cogni-
tive representation and action. By applying an abstract specification of the
activity, people can produce many variants of the behavioral style under
differing conditions. Conceptions are rarely transformed into masterful
performance on the first attempt. Monitored enactments serve as the vehi-
cle for transforming knowledge into skilled action. Performances are per-
fected by corrective adjustments during behavior production. The more
extensive the subskills that people possess, the easier it is to integrate
them to produce new behavior patterns. When deficits exist, the subskills
required for complex performances must first be developed by modeling
and guided enactment.
The fourth subfunction in modeling concerns motivational processes.
Social cognitive theory distinguishes between acquisition and perfor-
mance because people do not perform everything they learn. Perfor-
mance of observationally learned behavior is influenced by three major
types of incentive motivators—direct, vicarious, and self-produced.
People are more likely to exhibit modeled behavior if it results in valued
outcomes than if it has unrewarding or punishing effects. The observed
detriments and benefits experienced by others influence the perfor-
mance of modeled patterns in much the same way as do directly experi-
enced consequences. People are motivated by the successes of others
who are similar to themselves, but are discouraged from pursuing
courses of behavior that they have seen often result in adverse conse-
quences. Personal standards of conduct provide a further source of
incentive motivation. The self-approving and self-censuring reactions
people generate to their own behavior regulate which observationally
learned activities they are most likely to pursue. They pursue activities
they find self-satisfying and give them a sense of worth but reject those
they personally disapprove.