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Social Learning Theory

Sana Rafiq

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory was based on the idea that people learn from observing the behavior of others through observation, imitation and modeling. “The theory has often been called a bridge between behaviorist and cognitive learning theories because it encompasses attention, memory and motivation” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2007). What he was basically able to prove through a variety of examples was that “the application of consequences was not necessary for learning to take place” (Huitt, 2004).

He believed that human beings learn through observation, and thereby acquire those behaviors. They then retain those behaviors in their memory and later on when a suitable moment arises they unconsciously imitate that very same behavior. This becomes a form of observational learning. Bandura recognizes that much learning does take place as a result of reinforcement but he stresses that virtually all forms of behavior can be learned in the absence of directly experienced reinforcement. Rather than experiencing reinforcement ourselves for each of our actions, we can learn through vicarious reinforcement by observing the behavior of others and the consequences of their behavior. This focus on learning by observation, rather than through direct reinforcement, is a distinctive feature of Bandura’s theory (Goins, 2000).

Bandura’s belief is that operant conditioning is not a permissible way to be learning skills such as swimming or driving where a person could drown or crash before finding the correct sequence of behaviors that led to positive reinforcement sufficient way of learning. However most human behavior is learned through example, be it consciously or unconsciously – by observing the patterns of other’s behaviors, the cause and effects of their actions. And the very fact that people can learn through this medium is in itself a way to spare themselves unnecessary errors and trials (Goins, 2000).

Bandura formulated his findings in a four-step pattern which combines the cognitive view and the operant view of learning:

1. Attention: The individual notices something in the environment. Various other factors also come into consideration such as the increase or decrease in the amount of attention paid. “Includes distinctiveness, affective valence, complexity, functional value,” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2007) these characteristics affect attention.

2. Retention: The individual remembers what was noticed. “Includes symbolic coding, mental images, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, motor rehearsal” (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2007).

3. Reproduction: The individual produces an action that is a copy of what was noticed.

4. Motivation: The environment delivers a consequence that changes the probability of the behavior being displayed again.

According to Learning Theories Knowledgebase, (2007) Bandura believed in “reciprocal determinism”, that is, the world and a person’s behavior cause each other, while behaviorism essentially states that one’s environment causes one’s behavior, Bandura, who was studying adolescent aggression, found this too simplistic, and so in addition he suggested that behavior causes environment as well. Later, Bandura soon considered personality as an interaction between three components: the environment, behavior, and one’s psychological processes (one’s ability to entertain images in minds and language).

He conducted an experiment, called the ‘Bobo doll’ studies where he showed that children (ages 3-6) changed behavior after having watched others. Three groups of children were shown a film in which a child in a playroom behaved aggressively (kick, yell, hit etc) towards a ‘Bobo doll.’ The film has three different endings. One group of children were shown that a child was praised for his violent behavior, the second group was shown that the child was told to go sit down in a corner and was not allowed to play with toys, while the third group (the control group) saw the ending where the child simply walks out of the room. These groups of children were then merged together and allowed into the playroom and their actions of aggression were noted. Their behavior was shown to be twice as aggressive as a control group of children who had not seen the model attack the Bobo doll. The intensity of the aggressive behavior was the same whether the model was seen live, on television, or as a filmed cartoon character. Boys exhibited significantly more aggression than girls.

Albert Bandura believed aggression reinforced by family members was the most prominent source of behavior modeling. He reports that children use the same aggressive tactics that their parents illustrate when dealing with others. While studying at Iowa, Bandura became strongly interested in aggression in children. In order to control aggression, Bandura stated that the problem should be diagnosed and treated during one’s childhood. Children learn to act aggressive when they model their behavior after violent acts of adults, especially family members. For example, the boy who witnessed his father repeatedly strikes his mother will more than likely become an abusive parent and husband. Environmental experiences were the second source of influence in the social learning of violence in children. Albert Bandura reported that individuals who lived in high crime rates areas were more likely to commit acts of violence than those who were living in low-crime areas. “This assumption is similar to Shaw and McKay’s theory of social disorganization. They believed that a neighborhood surrounded by culture conflict, decay and insufficient social organizations was a major cause of criminality” (Isom, 1998).

Bandura also thought that television played a major role in modeling behaviors. Especially since today young children tend to watch TV shows, news, music videos etc on TV and in turn are largely influenced by the content they view, for example, their choice of music and singers reflects their views and personal choices in their own lives. The way these adolescent choose to dress, speak or behave is a reflection of social learning or observational impact. As the saying goes, violence breeds more violence, be it in the form of movies or in the streets, it will create an image in the minds of those who are in close vicinity to be able to grasp and retain that memory. In the media, for example shows and movies, violence is often expressed as an acceptable behavior especially for heroes who have never been punished or have managed to escape punishment, thereby sending the wrong signals to the viewing public that such an act is possible in the real world.

Therefore children who have high amount of exposure to such aggression may exhibit such hostility in their own behavior with their peers, family or those with whom they interact. “For example, David Phillips reported homicide rates increase tremendously after a heavy weight championship fight. There have been a number of deaths linked to violence on television” (Isom, 1998).

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