Social Learning Theory
Social Learning Theory
This theory was developed by psychologist Albert Bandura, who conducted his
now-famous Bobo doll experiment in 1961. The experiment tested Bandura’s
theory about observational learning and modeling and what would soon become
solidified as the social learning theory.
3 Central Concepts
Individuals have the ability to learn through observation
Theoretical Assumptions
The two major assumptions of the social learning theory include
the theories of Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning.
Classical conditioning (or Pavlovian conditioning)- is the theory that people learn
by association, through the simple pattern of stimulus and response.
- is a mental manipulation to reprogram natural body functions. It is a way of
learning where a stimulus that triggers a biological response is paired with a new
stimulus that then results in the same reaction. Example: For example, whenever
you come home wearing a basketball, you take your child to the park to play. So,
whenever your child sees you come home with a baseball cap, he is excited
because he has associated your baseball cap with a trip to the park. This
learning by association is classical conditioning.
Operant conditioning- adds another layer of complexity to this, resulting in the
theory that people learn through the association of certain behaviors with
punishments or rewards.
- is based on the idea that we can increase or decrease a certain behavior by
adding a consequence. For example: if a dog pupu on the carpet, it’s either you
reward the dog or punish the dog for pupuing in the carpet, it can always be
positive or negative.
4 Principles of Social Learning Theory
The principles consist of the following:
Attention - The environment surrounding the observed event and the attention
level of the subject.
- The degree to which we notice the behavior. A behavior must grab our attention
before it can be imitated. Considering the number of behaviors we observe and
do not imitate daily indicates attention is crucial in whether a behavior influences
imitation.
Retention - The capacity of the subject to remember or retain the observed
event and behavior.
- How well we remember the behavior. We cannot perform the behavior if we do
not remember the behavior. So, while a behavior may be noticed, unless a
memory is formed, the observer will not perform the behavior. And, because
social learning is not immediate, retention is vital to behavior modeling.
Reproduction - The ability (cognitive and/or physical) of the observer to imitate
the behavior.
- The ability to perform the behavior. This is the ability to reproduce a behavior we
observe. It influences our decision about whether to try performing the behavior.
Even when we wish to imitate an observed behavior, we are limited by our
physical abilities.
Motivation - The extent to which the observer wants to practice the new
behavior.
- The will to emulate the behavior. This mediational process is referred to as
vicarious reinforcement. It involves learning through observing the consequences
of actions for other people, rather than through direct experience.