Social Learning Theory

Throughout this course, we have explored a vast amount of theories, however, Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) has been the one that intrigued me the most. Bandura’s SLT “strongly emphasized the importance of observational learning and cognitive variables in explaining human behavior (Powell, Honey, & Symbaluk 2017).” According to our readings Bandura agrees with the behaviorist learning theories of classical and operant conditioning, he proposes that the SLT is a result of both person and situation, which does not have the same effect from either component on their own (Powell, Honey, & Symbaluk 2017). One of his most well-known studies involves a bobo doll. In which Bandura demonstrates that when someone observes violent behavior it increases the chances of violence of the spectator, and

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).

Social learning theory(SLT) can be seen as a bridge between the traditional behaviourist approach and the cognitive approach and not as separate from the behaviourist approach. Social Learning was developed in the 1960s to explain human behaviour in a more complex way than just the stimulus response of behaviourists. In terms of child development SLT is good for explaining specific imitation behaviour such as little girls taking care of babies or cooking like their mothers. It also explains why the trial and error learning as the behaviourists use could be seen as difficult to survive, without the imitation and observation of others children would make many fatal mistakes during their formative years. It has its limitations as an approach,

In this essay I will be comparing and contrasting the behaviourist approach and the social-learning approach. The two theories by Burrhus Frederic Skinner and Albert Bandura are similar as they are interlinked as learning theories but there are differences in each theorist’s overall view of the concepts within personality development (Comer, et al, 2013).

The maintenance social learning theory has produced in the research journalism has imperative suggestions for policy. From the social learning perspective, criminal and dangerous juvenile behavior is learned through the actions of family members and through televised outlets, including video games. Surrounding the juvenile with positive role models and introducing them to activities that will benefit them in the future could modify these delinquent teen’s behavior. For example, getting your child into a sport like soccer is much more beneficial then throwing them in front of a television to play a violent video game. The reasoning behind this is because when they are playing a sport, they are being social and learning how to act wit the peers

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.

A man by the name of Albert Bandura came up with an experiment the studies the Social Learning theory; the experiment was called the Bobo Doll Experiment. In the early 1960’s, Albert Bandura conducted this experiment and in this experiment, he had children watch a video of an adult aggressively playing with toys, including a Bobo doll. This adult hit the bobo doll, knocked it down and jumped on the doll screaming “POW!” AND “Kick him!”

There have been three suggested theories to explain our acquired patterns of behaviors or learning, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning. (Robbins and Judge, 2009, p. 55) This discussion will look at operant conditioning its extension social learning, and how it pertains to a covenantal framework. Using a personal example I am able to show how the integration of learning and covenantal thinking leads to the success of an organization.

Theory number one based off my previous journal entry is social learning theory. The theory that we can all learn from each other through observations, replications , and by sculpting their behaviors, manners and emotion relations of those around them. That theory is relevant and applied because of my current career field, it is important to be open and capable of learning from everyone around you, that’s a very important attribute. I could tell a person multiple times how to do something and they won’t understand or comprehend the directions or instructions that I give them. A lot, of times I have to come up with examples, memorandums, formats and templates to aid them in learning; that doesn’t always work. However, for those that lack understanding I can take some extra time and show them exactly how it needs to be done. I’ll explain

Social learning theory as defined by Akers is: the theory that when exposed to favourable definitions of crime, peers who commit crime, anticipate that (or in the past have had) the benefits of committing the crime outweigh the punishment, and a situation where committing a crime is justifiable or advantageous, are more likely to engage in criminal behaviour and deviate from societal norms (2009).

Akers and Sellers (2013) has stated that social learning theory is an expanded theory of differential association processes and improves it with differential reinforcement and other principles of the behavior theory. They added classical conditioning (the sharpening of involuntary reflex behavior); discriminative stimuli (internal stimuli that lead to signals for behavior); schedules of reinforcement (rewards and punishment ratio following behavioral feedback); and other theories of behavior (Akers & Sellers, 2013).

Albert Bandura, a 20th century American pszchologist, proposed a very important and probably the most influential theory of development and learning. He believed that: “Most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling: from observing others, one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions

I agree that the Social Learning Theory explains the most differences in genders. The theory comes from observations. A child does not know what clothing or accessories to use without observing an adult of their gender. One cannot hide what the eye sees. Every scream or laugh was seen from a child’s perspective. The right and wrong are taught from a family member or peer. For example, the Bobo experiment was aggressive actions carried from the adult to the child. The child only terrorized the doll because the adult was. As a child, you are taught to repeat and carry yourself like a well-mannered human of society. For future reference, a child is always watching you.

Social learning theory has a major part when it come to a person and being influence by dealing with memory and learning. Bandura has described social learning theory as, “most human behavior is learned through modeling or imitating certain behavior, particularly when the behavior is perceived to be successful, and this type of learning is known as observational learning. Social learning theory is usually observed, and the person is curious and want to try and then the person experience, “observational learning occurs as a form of either acquiring new responses or modifying old responses” (Seungbum & Keunsu,2012). When deviant behavior or violence is display it usually put on social learning theory because they feel that person learn that certain

In this essay I will talk how behaviourism and social learning theory contribute to our understanding of learning, the strengths and weaknesses of the theories of Psychologists B F Skinner and Stanley Milgram and also critically discuss the limitations of their theories. Then finally weigh up how Skinner has impacted the understanding of behaviour.