Basic Premise
The basic premise of Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory is that we learn from one another by observing, imitating and modelling behaviour, attitude and outcomes of behaviour which we see in that of others. Bandura believed that personality is a direct interaction between the environment, behaviour and psychological processes - they all cause one another.
Social Learning Concepts
1. People learn through observation by observing a live model (actual person performing or demonstrating behaviour), verbal instructional model (someone describing how to behave in a certain way) or symbolic model (character displayed in book, film, television, etc.)
2. Mental states are important to learning - external reinforcement (positive or negative) AND internal reinforcement (feeling of accomplishment, pride, satisfaction, etc.)
3. Learning doesn't always mean changed behaviour - people can learn new things without changing how they act
2. Mental states are important to learning - external reinforcement (positive or negative) AND internal reinforcement (feeling of accomplishment, pride, satisfaction, etc.)
3. Learning doesn't always mean changed behaviour - people can learn new things without changing how they act
The Modelling Process
*Modelling is how one takes on the behaviour, attitudes, beliefs on another person and makes it their own*
1. Attention - internal factors such as one's character, and external factors such as complexity or value, can increase or decrease attention
2. Retention - how well one remembers what they paid attention to
3. Reproduction - how one then reproduces what they saw
4. Motivation - one must have a good reason to imitate these actions
1. Attention - internal factors such as one's character, and external factors such as complexity or value, can increase or decrease attention
2. Retention - how well one remembers what they paid attention to
3. Reproduction - how one then reproduces what they saw
4. Motivation - one must have a good reason to imitate these actions
Factors Which Influence Effective Modelling
1. Similarity between observer and model - an observer is more likely to imitate behaviour of a model whom is similar to them
2. How those around the observer respond to the behaviour they imitate - positive or negative reinforcement
3. What the outcomes of the model's actions are - if something good happens to the model after, the observer is more likely to imitate
*Identification occurs when the observer adopts the behaviours of the model*
2. How those around the observer respond to the behaviour they imitate - positive or negative reinforcement
3. What the outcomes of the model's actions are - if something good happens to the model after, the observer is more likely to imitate
*Identification occurs when the observer adopts the behaviours of the model*
Process of Self-Regulation
1. Self-Observation - they look at themselves and their actions
2. Judgment - compare self-observation with standards of society and/or with standards they have set for themselves
3. Self-Response - how well they do in comparing their actions and standards, resulting in reward or discipline
2. Judgment - compare self-observation with standards of society and/or with standards they have set for themselves
3. Self-Response - how well they do in comparing their actions and standards, resulting in reward or discipline