Transcript Social Learning Theory

Learning from observation
ALBERT BANDURA – SOCIAL LEARNING THEORIST
 Albert
Bandura was born on December 4, 1925
in a small town called Mundare in northern
Alberta, Canada (50 miles east of Edmonton).
 He was the youngest and only boy of six
children.
ALBERT BANDURA – SOCIAL LEARNING
THEORIST
1949:
Bandura received his B.A. degree from the University
of British Columbia
 1951:
M.A. received from the University of Iowa
 1952:
Ph.D. received from University of Iowa
under the direction of Arthur Benton
 While studying at Iowa, Bandura’s interest in
childhood aggression began
 Idea of social learning theory established while
pursuing Ph.D. at University of Iowa
 1964- Present:
Full professor position given to Bandura at Stanford
 1977:
Bandura became known as the Father of the
Cognitive Theory.

ALBERT BANDURA - EDUCATION
Social learning theory focuses on the learning that
occurs within a social context
 Social learning theory considers how people learn
from one another by observing, imitating, and
modeling.
 In social learning theory, people (observers) are
trying to learn by imitation or modeling. Therefore,
the model or third person can be a reinforcer.
 For instance, from an operant condition perspective,
learners are reinforced often enough that they
continue to copy those around them.
 As a result, their imitation (copying) itself becomes a
habit which is called generalized.

 “Social
Learning Theory” has been renamed
‘Social Cognitive Theory” to accommodate later
developments of the theory because of his focus
on motivational factors and self-regulatory
mechanisms that contribute to a person’s
behavior, rather than just environmental
factors.
 According to Bandura, human beings have
specific abilities related to learning that sets
them apart from other species
SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

Social cognitive theory states that there are three
characteristics that are unique to humans:
 Vicarious consequences (Model and imitate others)
 Self–efficacy (self reflection)
 Performance standards and moral conduct (Ability to
regulate one’s own behavior)
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
OF SOCIAL LEARNING
THEORY
 People
can learn by observing the behavior of
others and then imitating the behavior overtly.
 Learning can occur without a change in
behavior.
 Cognition plays a role in learning.
 Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled
behavior if it results in outcomes they value.
 Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled
behavior if the model is similar to the observed
and has admired status and the behavior has
functional value.
BANDURA’S EXPERIMENT ON MODELING
Experiment that showed children could easily learn
through observational learning modeling
 Frustrated children go to beat on the clown after seeing
adult model do the same.
 Reinforcements and punishment may influence what
we imitate.

BANDURA’S EXPERIMENT ON MODELING
The Bobo Doll Study
 “Bobo doll” studies showed observational learning and
the impact it can have on violent behavior in children.
 Albert Bandura’s Bobo doll study in 1961 was a classic
study that demonstrates the social learning theory. The
study showed that after viewing adults strike and kick a
Bobo doll, children would imitate the behavior in another
environment. This was important, as it suggests that the
violence could be imitated by viewers.
 Results showed 88% of the children imitated aggressive
behavior following the viewing of the tape of adults acting
aggressively toward the doll.
 8 months later 40% of the same children reproduced the
violent behavior observed in the Bobo doll experiment.
THE BOBO DOLL STUDY (CONTINUED…)
• The children were shown
three different endings to the
video. The video first showed
that the adults were praised
for their aggressive behavior.
The second group the adult
was told to sit in a corner.
The third group showed the
adult walk out of the room.
While controversial, Bandura
maintained
that
his
experiment
demonstrated
that children are influenced
by witnessing or modeling of
aggression in others.
PROCESS OF LEARNING THROUGH MODELING
1.
2.
3.
4.
Attention: If you are going to learn anything, you have to
be paying attention. The person must first pay attention
to the model.
Retention: You must be able to retain or remember what
you have paid attention to. We retain mental images or
verbal descriptions.
Reproduction: You have to translate the images or
descriptions into actual behaviors.
Motivation: the final necessary ingredient for modeling to
occur is motivation, learners must want to demonstrate
what they have learned. (If positive reinforcement is
potentially available, enact the modeled behavior)
(Remember that since these four conditions vary among
individuals, different people will reproduce the same
behavior differently).
EXAMPLE
Children who see an adult behave aggressively
might view that aggressive behavior as a
positive thing (i.e., expect positive
reinforcement of some type for that behavior),
and therefore might imitate that aggressive
behavior.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL LEARNING
THEORY
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students often learn a great deal simply by
observing other people.
To promote effective modeling a teacher must
make sure that the four essential conditions
exist; attention, retention , motor
reproduction, and motivation.
Teachers and parents must model
appropriate behaviors and take care that
they do not model inappropriate behaviors.
Teachers should expose students to a
variety of other models. This technique is
especially important to break down
traditional stereotypes.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL
LEARNING THEORY
5.
6.
7.
It is very important to develop a sense of selfefficacy for students. Teachers can promote
such self-efficacy by having students receive
confidence-building messages, watch others be
successful, and experience success on their
own.
Teachers should help students set realistic
expectations for their academic
accomplishments.
Self-regulation techniques provide an
effective method for improving student
behavior.