Social Learning Theory

By: Albert Bandura

Savita Gupta

Banduras Early Life

1925-present

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Albert Bandura

Savita Gupta

Social Learning Theory (SLT)

Grew out of Cognitivism A. Bandura (1973) Learning takes place through observation and

sensorial experiences
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery SLT is the basis of the movement against

violence in media & video games

Savita Gupta

Definition of Social Learning Theory

According to social learning theory, behavior

is learned symbolically through central processing of response information before it is performed. By observing a model of the desired behavior, an individual forms an idea of how response components must be combined and sequenced to produce the new behavior.

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Social learning theory or SLT is the theory that people learn new behavior through observation al learning of the social factors in their environment. If people observe positive, desired outcomes in the observed behavior, then they are more likely to model, imitate, and adopt the behavior themselves.

Social learning theory is derived from the work of Albert Bandura which proposed that social learning occurred through four main stages of imitation: 1. close contact, 2. imitation of superiors, 3. understanding of concepts, 4. role model behaviour It consists of three parts: observing, imitating, and reinforcements

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Scope/Application
Social

learning theory has been applied extensively to the understanding of aggression (Bandura, 1973) and psychological disorders, particularly in the context of behavior modification (Bandura, 1969). It is also the theoretical foundation for the technique of behavior modeling which is widely used in training programs. Example: The most common (and pervasive) examples of social learning situations are television commercials. Commercials suggest that drinking a certain beverage or using a particular hair shampoo will make us popular and win the admiration of attractive people. Depending upon the component processes involved (such as attention or motivation), we may model the behavior shown in the commercial and buy the product being advertised.

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Principles:
1. The highest level of observational learning is

achieved by first organizing and rehearsing the modeled behavior symbolically and then enacting it overtly. Coding modeled behavior into words, labels or images results in better retention than simply observing. 2. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if it results in outcomes they value. 3. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if the model is similar to the observer and has admired status and the behavior has functional value.
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Processes of Social Learning Theory

Attentional Processes Retention Processes Motor Reproduction Processes Motivational Processes

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Attentional Processes
Attention. If you are going to learn anything, you have to be paying attention. Likewise, anything that puts a damper on attention is going to decrease learning, including observational learning. If, for example, you are sleepy, groggy, drugged, sick, nervous, or hyper, you will learn less well. Likewise, if you are being distracted by competing stimuli. Some of the things that influence attention involve characteristics of the model. If the model is colorful and dramatic, for example, we pay more attention. If the model is attractive, or prestigious, or appears to be particularly competent, you will pay more attention. And if the model seems more like yourself, you pay more attention. These kinds of variables directed Bandura towards an examination of television and its effects on kids! Question as the teacher: Where do I point my students focus? 1. Fingertips not palm 2. Elbow 90 degrees 3. Bend knees

Up and Over!
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Retention Processes
Retention. Second, you must be able to retain -- remember -- what you have paid attention to. This is where imagery and language come in: we store what we have seen the model doing in the form of mental images or verbal descriptions. When so stored, you can later bring up the image or description, so that you can reproduce it with your own behavior. Convert instruction to symbols Imagery Example: Picture what a perfect shot looks like Verbal Example: Remember fingertips, elbow straight, knees, up and over.

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Motor Reproduction Processes

Reproduction. At this point, youre just sitting there daydreaming. You

have to translate the images or descriptions into actual behavior. So you have to have the ability to reproduce the behavior in the first place. I can watch Olympic ice skaters all day long, yet not be able to reproduce their jumps, because I cant ice skate at all! On the other hand, if I could skate, my performance would in fact improve if I watch skaters who are better than I am. Another important tidbit about reproduction is that our ability to imitate improves with practice at the behaviors involved. And one more tidbit: Our abilities improve even when we just imagine ourselves performing! Many athletes, for example, imagine their performance in their minds eye prior to actually performing. Convert symbols into performance Continual correction Practice until perfection
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Motivational Processes

Motivation. And yet, with all this, youre still not going to do anything unless you are motivated to imitate, i.e. until you have some reason for doing it. Bandura mentions a number of motives: a. past reinforcement, b. promised reinforcements c. vicarious reinforcement. Notice that these are, traditionally, considered to be the things that cause learning. Bandura is saying that they dont so much cause learning as cause us to demonstrate what we have learned. That is, he sees them as motives. Of course, the negative motivations are there as well, giving you reasons not to imitate someone: d. past punishment. e. promised punishment (threats). d. vicarious punishment. Like most traditional behaviorists, Bandura says that punishment in whatever form does not work as well as reinforcement and, in fact, has a tendency to backfire on us.

Do what works, ignore whats right Incorrect form of a basketball shot Who cares if it looks correct? It only matters if I make it. Savita Gupta

Modeling
most human behavior is learned

observationally through modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action.

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Necessary conditions for effective modeling:

Attention various factors increase or decrease the amount of

attention paid. Includes distinctiveness, affective valence, prevalence, complexity, functional value. Ones characteristics (e.g. sensory capacities, arousal level, perceptual set, past reinforcement) affect attention. Retention remembering what you paid attention to. Includes symbolic coding, mental images, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, motor rehearsal Reproduction reproducing the image. Including physical capabilities, and self-observation of reproduction. Motivation having a good reason to imitate. Includes motives such as past (i.e. traditional behaviorism), promised (imagined incentives) and vicarious (seeing and recalling the reinforced model)
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Functions of Social Learning

Motivational

Informative
Reinforcing

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Reinforcement
Reinforcement does play a role in

observational learning, but mainly as an antecedent rather than a consequent influence.

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Critiques of Social Learning Theory

Does not take into account individuality,

context, and experience as mediating factors

Suggests students learn best as passive

receivers of sensory stimuli, as opposed to being active learners

Emotions and motivation not considered

important or connected to learning

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Social Learning Theory: Critical Evaluation

Strengths: 1. Social learning theory has been tested extensively. Topics have included

aggression, moral judgments, delay of gratification, vicarious conditioning of fears, and helping behaviors. 2. The phenomena studied are very important (e.g., aggression, helping behavior, the effects of modeling, the development of self-regulatory capacities). 3. The theory is open to change and adaptive to new findings ( e.g., the growing importance of cognitions [beliefs] in regulating behavior; the growing importance of emotions [affect] in understanding certain disorders). 4. The theory has brought fundamental issues to everyones attention (e.g., the limitations of Freuds and Skinners views; the limitations of trait views).
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 Limitations: 1. Social learning theory is not really a unified theory. Unique concepts are sometimes lumped together as if they were synonymous when they are not. Examples: Competencies, personal constructs, expectancies, and plans are all central concepts in the theory, but they are not very well integrated or connected. 2. Social learning theory does not address certain critical issues. Example: The stages of development during maturation. Maturational factors clearly affect how people feel and behave. There are different levels of various hormones across development and different thinking/reasoning capacities at different stages of development. Example: Interpersonal conflict and the deeper motives that may drive behavior and cause personal problems.
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Summary
We acquire, maintain, and modify behaviors that we see others

perform. We decide which behaviors to keep, and when to use them, by using: via symbolic thought ,emotion and self-regulation Social Learning Theorists put the person back into personality by stressing the interplay of personal factors, environmental factors, on behavior.

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