Believes humans are active information processors and think about the relationship between their behaviour and its consequences
Social learning theory
Emphasizes the importance of observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviours, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others
Social learning theory
Considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behaviour
Bandura (1977) agrees with the behaviorist learning theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning
Mediating processes
Occur between stimuli & responses
Behaviour
Is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning
Observational learning
1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Reproduction
4. Motivation
5. Reinforcement
Attention
In order to learn through observation, we must pay attention to or closely watch a model's behaviour and the consequences
Factors influencing attention
Perceptual capabilities of the observer
Motivation and interest level of the observer
Situation in which the behaviour is being observed
Kinds of distractors present
Characteristics of the model
Retention
Having observed the model, we must be able to remember the model's behaviour and store it in memory
Reproduction
The ability to perform the behaviour that the model has just demonstrated
Motivation
The observer must be motivated to perform the behaviour
Types of reinforcement
External reinforcement
Vicarious reinforcement
Self-reinforcement
Observational learning
A key aspect of social learning theory, where individuals learn and adopt behaviours by observing others
Model
Individuals that are observed
Types of models
Live model
Verbal instructional model
Symbolic model
Vicarious reinforcement
Occurs indirectly by observing the modelled behaviour being reinforced without personally experiencing the reinforcement
Exposure to positive role models in education enhances a sense of belonging, especially for groups subjected to negative stereotypes like women and racial minorities in STEM
Students who read about the challenges overcome by famous scientists performed better than those who read only about their achievements
Observing perseverance fosters personal performance
Role models' successes should be achievable. If aspirants believe they can attain similar success, they're more motivated
An effective role model is someone others see as similar or relatable
Extensive observation of violence can bias children's world schemas toward attributing hostility or negative intentions to others' actions
Repeated exposure to media violence can lead to desensitization
Playing violent video games allows for enactive learning of aggression
Strengths of social learning theory
It provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognizing the role of mediational processes
It can explain many more complex social behaviours (such as gender roles and moral behaviour) than models of learning based on simple reinforcement
Limitations of social learning theory
Lack of clarity about cognitive processes
Overemphasis on observation
Difficulty in predicting behaviour
Neglect of biological factors
The discovery of mirror neurons has lent biological support to the social learning theory
Vicarious reinforcement – occurs indirectly by observing the modelled behaviour being reinforced without personally experiencing the reinforcement
self-efficacy – which is our belief in our ability to succeed in particular situations