Obesity Model and Social Cognitive Theory - Essay Example

The process of addressing obesity should focus on these elements in order to achieve lifestyle change. Obese children should learn from healthy children through observation. In addition, they should be encouraged to adopt the requisite behaviors. Lastly, they should believe in their ability to change.

The social cognitive theory came about because of the work conducted in the field of social learning theory advocated by Miller and Dollard in 1941. The theory has been applied in marketing where celebrities are used to introduce a product to a given demographic.

A good example is the use of Drogba as the brand ambassador for Samsung in Africa. Students who perform well are rewarded with presents at the end of the academic year while those who exhibit good behavior are rewarded with leadership positions. The influence of the media is associated with social cognitive theory. People embrace behavior that is rewarded and shun what is punished (Ross, Lepper, and Ward, 2010). Social cognitive theories are applied in the training of nurses and in their day-to-day responsibilities.

Self-efficacy highlights an individual’s confidence in his or her ability to perform and master tasks. A student with a higher self-efficacy handles the Foley catheter with relative ease while one with a low self-efficacy would struggle to handle it.