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Audrey Spann

Distributed Cognition Theory and Social Cognitive Theory

Learning Theory/Instructional Design

ED5079123SU2
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Distributed Cognition Theory

Cognitive theories are based on information processing, but Distributed Cognition theory

is complex and emphasizes using a whole environment while learning. This theory looks at the

brain as a system that utilizes social and physical aspects of surroundings to process information.

“Distributed cognition theory posits that our cognitive tasks are so tightly coupled to the

environment that cognition extends into the environment, beyond the skin and the skull” (Furniss

et al., 2019). By learning this way, students are expected to rely on something other than their

internal memory. Instead, students can use society, technology, experiences, prior knowledge,

and the physical environment to interpret and communicate ideas.

Image from: www.ahrq.gov

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This model is a visual representation of Distributed Cognition between crew members and the

system they maintain to navigate their ship.

Contributor

Edwin Hutchins, author of Cognition in the Wild, was an observant theorist interested in

making complex tasks simple by streamlining ideas and including all aspects of human

experiences. A man with great perspective from his time in the US Navy and as an

anthropologist, Hutchins used a project about commercial aviation as the basis to present

information processing and thinking as a system. One should not be expected to manage a

commercial flight by themselves and overload their brain with the massive amount of

information that must be stored and processed. The solution, according to Hutchins (1995), “we

should map the conceptualization of the cognitive system onto a new unit of analysis: the cockpit

as a whole.”
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Edwin Hutchins was on a flight during his time as an anthropologist before his retirement in

2014.

Key Theories

The phrase “think of the cockpit as a whole” is to understand that the pilot cannot

remember all the details regarding the flight and properly store the information to be able to

recall and communicate. There are five interdependent models related to distributed cognition:

information flow, artifact, social, physical, and evolutionary models. The cognitive system works

when all four of the models are present in the process. Everyone has prior knowledge through

life experiences, which is considered basic information. The artifacts are simply the technologies

developed to understand information with the help of cultural and physical environments from
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the background of a person. With every task, the idea is that we build upon our knowledge and

skillsets to evolve our cognitive system.

Example

Distributed cognition theory is referenced in high-intensity areas of society where the

overall task is too great for a single person. “The distinctive feature of the d-cog, it seems, is that

it treats social groups, along with tools and parts of the material and cultural environment, as a

cognitive system” (Toon 2014). An example of this theory in practice would be the navigation of

a U.S. naval ship and the layers of what is required by the team to be successful. Hutchins

presented the crew on the ship as the social component with their cultural perspectives and the

nature of the environment surrounding them, which is the body of water. There were tools

developed to help them navigate the ocean and ultimately communicate information with each

other. “In a learning environment like ship navigation, there exist individuals who have different

knowledge and experience and artifact used to navigate a ship” (Polat & Oz 2017). Creating

activities within the classroom is a great way to see distributed cognition in action. This allows

students to learn from each other and ignite the interactive process. “When engaged in a task

people talk to those beside them, and this interaction also forms part of this process of

developing or acquiring distributed intelligence” (Herrero & Brown, 2010).

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References

“Distributed Cognition and the Role of Nurses in Diagnostic Safety in the Emergency Department.”

www.ahrq.gov, Aug. 2022, www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/reports/issue-briefs/distributed-

cognition-er-nurses2.html

Furniss, D., Garfield, S., Husson, F., Blandford, A., & Franklin, B. D. (2019) Distributed cognition:

understanding complex sociotechnical informatics. Studies in health technology & informatics,

263, 75–86. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uwa.edu/10.3233/SHTI190113

Herrero, C., & Brown, M. (2010). Distributed cognition in community-based education. 15(2), 253–

268. https://addi.ehu.es/bitstream/handle/10810/48244/816-1900-1-PB.pdf?sequence=1

Hutchins, E. (1995), How a cockpit remembers its speeds. Cognitive science, 19: 265-288.

https://doiorg.ezproxy.uwa.edu/10.1207/s15516709cog1903_1

Polat, H., & Öz, R. (2017). Use of the distributed cognition theory in a lesson plan: A theory, a model,

and a lesson plan. Erzincan university journal of education faculty, 19(3), 180–190 https://doi-

org.ezproxy.uwa.edu/10.17556/erziefd.341974

Toon, A. (2014). Friends at last? Distributed cognition and the cognitive/social divide. Philosophical

psychology, 27(1), 112–125.https://doi-org.ezproxy.uwa.edu/10.1080/09515089.2013.828371

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Social Cognitive Theory

To say that a person is a product of their environment can sum up the reasoning behind

the Social Cognitive Theory. People may not be aware of it, but they are being influenced by

others when performing simple tasks. This is why it is imperative to have good sound parents to

be role models for children. Humans are dependent upon one another and their surroundings. The

life of one serve as a blueprint for others, and the cycle must continue so that others can learn

from the educated and experienced. Learning should be relatable and valuable for students in

their daily lives. The social cognitive theory embraces the need for social interaction and

references during the learning process to help students connect themselves and the curriculum.

“According to psychologist Albert Bandura, people learn by observing, imitating, and modeling

the behaviors of others, taking into account the rewards and punishments that result from

actions” (Crittenden et al., 2017).

Contributor

Albert Bandura explored the social cognitive theory and was great at convincing others

that learning is a product of our physical environment. Bandura would also question the morality

of society regarding issues like climate change because each generation learns how to be from

the previous generations. “In Self-Efficacy’s’ last sentence Bandura says: “The times call for

social initiatives that build people’s sense of collective efficacy to influence the conditions that

shape their lives and those of future generations” (Heald 2017). The learned behavior may be

positive or negative, but it is certain that the behavior is impactful and affects the learning

process. Bandura was skillful in giving realistic examples of how the events that a person

witnesses remain with them psychologically for possibly the rest of their lives.
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Albert Bandura was ranked the fourth “most eminent psychologist of the 20th century” behind B.

F. Skinner, Jean Piaget and Sigmund Freud.

Key Theory

The relationship between a person and the environment is reciprocal, according to

Bandura. Three factors influence the social cognitive theory, which is personal, behavioral, and

environmental. No specific factor carries more weight than the other regarding the learning

process. Each pillar operates as an “interlocking determinant” of each other. The factors are

interdependent, and all work together to influence the cognitive process. People can recall past

events that are either personal or distant to them, and it all has a direct effect on their behavior.

Ultimately Bandura made a case for the reciprocal determinism perspective to demonstrate how

surroundings and organisms act and react to each other. “The thrust of the argument was not that

B, P, and E reciprocally determine each other at the same time, but rather that there is usually an
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ongoing history and that B, P, and E have come to be what they are by virtue of a series of

interactions spread out over time” (Phillips 1983).

The 3 Key theories of Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

Diagram from Www.structural-Learning.com.

Example

The example that Bandura gives from his 1978 book is a child with disciplinary issues. A

child who acts out and throws a temper tantrum is mindful of past experiences that lead to this

behavior and the current environment. This child brought their memories to an already

established environment, and as a result, their behavior was to act naughty. It cannot be

measured which factor had the most significant impact on the child, but each factor was mixed to

formulate the behavior of the child. The Social Cognitive learning process can be used to

illustrate the Boho doll experiment, where the child first pays attention to their parent's actions or

role model. The child then stores those actions in their long-term memory and recalls those same

actions and uses them as motivation to repeat those same patterns. In a classroom setting, the
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actions of others can serve as a distraction that students may not be conscious of. “Several

studies have indicated that the two most popular applications among the young population,

namely social networking sites and instant messenger, are also the most distractive and

detrimental to learning” (Deng et al., 2022). This will ultimately affect the motivation and

preferences of students because of the actions of their peers. However, social cognitive theory

yields hope that individuals can shape their environment with behavior that is motivational and

productive. “Rather than simply reacting to the environment as the behaviorist perspective

contends, the social cognitive approach views the person as being goal-directed and proactively

involved in shaping the task environment” (McCormick 2001).

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References

Crittenden, A. B., Crittenden, V. L., & Crittenden, W. F. (2017). The contagion of trickle-down

incompetence. Industrial Management, 59(5), 10–15.

https://searchebscohostcom.ezproxy.uwa.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=125

50347&site=eds-live

Deng, L., Zhou, Y., & Hu, Q. (2022). Off-task social media multitasking during class:

Determining factors and mediating mechanisms. International Journal of Educational

Technology in Higher Education, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-022-00321-1

Heald, S. (2017). Climate silence, moral disengagement, and self-efficacy: How

Albert Bandura’s theories inform our climate-change predicament. Environment,

59(6), 4–15. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uwa.edu/10.1080/00139157.2017.1374792

McCormick, M. J. (2001). Self-Efficacy and Leadership Effectiveness: Applying Social

Cognitive Theory to Leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 8(1), 22-33.

https://doi.org/10.1177/107179190100800102

Phillips, D. C., & Orton, R. (1983). The new causal principle of cognitive learning theory:

Perspectives on Bandura’s “reciprocal determinism.” Psychological Review, 90(2), 158–

165.https://searchebscohostcom.ezproxy.uwa.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN

EJ304946&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Social Cognitive Theories. (n.d.). Www.structural-Learning.com.

https://www.structural-learning.com/post/social-cognitive-theories