Evaluation of Social Learning Theory

Behaviorists argue that people are not born with a violent disposition; rather they learn to think and act violently as a result of their everyday experiences (Bandura, 1977). Albert Bandura (1977) states behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning. This popular behavioral notion is known as the social learning theory. Bandura believes that humans are active information processors and think about the relationship between their behavior and its consequences. Studies of family life, for example, show that aggressive children often model the violent behaviors of their parents. In 1961, Bandura conducted the famous bobo doll experiment in which children observed the people around them behaving in various ways. The experiment involved exposing children to two different adult models; an aggressive model and a non-aggressive one. After observing the adults and their aggressive or non-aggressive behavior, the children were later allowed to play in a room with the Bobo doll by themselves. When they played with the doll by themselves, alone in a room, they began to imitate the actions they had previously observed by the adults. The children who had observed the adults aggressively playing with the doll imitated a similar aggressive behavior while playing with the doll alone. Those who observed the

Noteworthy due mostly to the work of Albert Bandura, social learning theory attempts to explain behavior through the interaction of three variables: the environment, the behavior, and psychological processes. With his model, Bandura stepped away from strict behaviorism and opened the doors for the cognitivist movement. His premise is that human behavior and learning is influenced by a complex network of observations made about the behaviors, beliefs, and emotional responses of those in our

The room was also equipped with a one-way window so the child could be observed without their acknowledgement. The experiment showed that the consequences in the films that the children observed in the ending, created a different outcome. The children who witnessed the film were the adult was rewarded was most likely to repeat or imitate the aggressive behavior toward the Bobo doll. In the situation of the other children who watched the adult being punished for their aggressive behavior, the children were less likely to recreate the aggressive behavior towards the Bobo doll. After the findings Bandura added to the experiment. The children who watched any of the three films were asked to recreate what the adult did in the film. Each imitation the child recreated correctly, they were rewarded with candy and stickers. Virtually all the children were capable of recreating all actions, aggressive or non-aggressive. The different variations of the films the children watched had no impact on them. In conclusion to Bandura’s experiment, you are capable of imitating any behavior, aggressive or non-aggressive, but you are more likely to imitate if there is expectation of any type of reward.

Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory describes the process through which people acquire new info, forms of behavior, or attitudes from others firsthand or vicariously. The likelihood of a behavior presenting itself will rely on the amount of reinforcement it receives and the value that the individual associates to it. While some behavior may be rewarded, others may produce unfavorable responses. An individual will learn from the consequences of these actions and when a similar situation arises, they will alter their behavior according to what was most successful in the past.

Social learning theory, developed by Bandura, discusses how people learn from one another through observation, modeling, and imitation bridging an individual’s attention, memory and motivation. Social learning theory identifies the importance of cognition, observable behavior, individual self-efficacy, and the extent of how the events surrounding an individual affect them; their locus of control. Social learning theory also looks at individual problem behavior being influenced by positive or negative reinforcement (Ashford & LeCroy, 2012).

Albert Bandura (1977), the originator of social learning theory, focused his research on the process of how people learn through observation. Social Learning stems from a cognitive and behavioral theory model. This is demonstrated through the well-known Bobo Doll experiment. The experiment entailed a child observing an adult being aggressive towards the Bobo Doll (Pavlov et al., 1961). The results indicated that children imitated the observed behaviors of being aggressive towards the doll (Pavlov et al., 1961).

Doherty and Hughes (2009, p. 309) initially introduced Albert Bandura’s social learning theory which was an extension from behaviourism. Bandura incorporates traditional learning theories such as operant conditioning, which was initially proposed by the likes of Skinner and Thorndike. This theory further emphasises that behaviours also can be learnt through the use of the environment, observation, role modelling and peers.

Children form bonds with their parents from birth, so the idea that social learning theory is a reason that Joe has chosen to play piano is highly likely. This theory states that children see their parents as role models and identify themselves with one or both in order to gain a quality they wish to possess. Children will encode the behaviours they have observed, it has been seen in Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment (1961) that children later imitate behaviour.

The Social Learning Theory gained prominence by Albert Bandura. The theory states that the social behavior displayed by people is predominantly learned by the observation and imitation of those they are surrounded by. This theory future explains that people are influenced by being rewarded or punished for their behavior. The social behavior is also influenced, according to this theory, by

A study conducted by Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) explored if observation and imitation rather than genetic aspects can teach social behaviour in children such as aggression. This was known as the bobo doll experiment. The independent variables consisted of three conditions, aggression, non-aggression and no model shown. Therefore the children’s level of aggression being the dependent variable. Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) wanted to identify if children can imitate through

Albert bandura played a significant role in the development of the social learning theory. The Social learning theory is a form of child development, which express that children learn by observing other individual behaviors. Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models that is that have been previous studies have expressed significant evidence that children imamate behavior exhibited by an adult. This study differs from other studies by introducing subjects into a new setting and removing the behavioral model.

The aim of this study was to test observation learning and how children learned and modeled behaviors that they observed. During this study children were shown a

Social learning theory is also important when looking at Ruth and how she shaped who she was. Social learning theory is learning that occurs when someone observes, retains and replicates the behaviors that they observed someone else doing. Albert Bandura is the individual who is most typically associated with this theory and implemented studies in the area. There are two important ideas of this theory which are first, that “mediating processes occur between stimuli and responses” (Bandura, 1961). The second important aspect of his theory is that “behavior is learned from the environment through process of observational learning” (Bandura, 1961). The overall meaning of this theory is that people pick up behaviors from others and make them into their own.

Conducting research on social learning is all well and good, but Albert Bandura saw a way to put all he had learned to work. He recognized that not putting his new-found knowledge to use would result in nothing more than wasted time and research. So, Bandura began a crusade. However, his cause would not be the only favorable affect Social Learning Theory would inspire.

According to bandura (1963) “It states that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct reinforcement.” Bandura (1971) explained “Social learning theory as a theory of learning and social behavior which proposes that new behaviors can be acquired by observing and imitating others.” Renzetti et. al, (2012) say that “In addition to the observation of behavior, learning also occurs through the observation of rewards and punishments, a process known as vicarious reinforcement. When a particular behavior is rewarded regularly, it will most likely persist; conversely, if a particular behavior is constantly punished, it will most likely desist.” According to Muro & Jeffrey (2008) “Social learning theory is increasingly cited as an essential component of sustainable natural resource management and the promotion of desirable behavioural change.” (Bandura, 1977) “People learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those