The Social Learning Theory: A Personal Reflection

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).

Behaviouristic theories of learning are essentially theories of conditioning and emphasize the role of reinforcement in learning. One of the mot predominant theories is Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, which assumes that. People learn through observing others’ behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of those behaviors which is called observational learning, that is an indirect form of learning known as vicarious learning and indirect forms of reinforcement which is called vicarious reinforcement .Bandura renamed SLT as social cognitive theory to accommodate the ever increasing importance in his thinking of cognitive factors .SLT has also

Bandura believed that not only is children’s behaviour shaped by its consequences, but also that children learn by watching the behaviour of people around them. In contrast to Behaviourism, Bandura’s social learning theory emphasized the importance of children imitating the behaviour, emotions and attitudes of those they saw around them .

Effective social learning theories do not just explain behaviors, they build bridges. Few experts believe that social or even biologically determined actions arise in isolation: they come about as a result of a variety of factors that may be located inside or outside of the subject, but eventually they come together in combination. It is this recognition that has formed the basis (at least in retrospect) for the long-lasting impact of Bandura's social learning or now social cognitive theory of behavior. It is a theory that can be its own agent for building a better self (Bandura, Agentic, n.d.).

Albert Bandura Born 1925 social learning theorist accepts the principle of conditioning but believe there are other ways of learning such as learning by watching. Social learning theorists think that people also learn by observing others. This is called ‘observational learning’. Early years workers have seen children copy other children or adults. This is spontaneous children will naturally learn by copying rather than someone showing or teaching them. Research shows that children and young people can only copy something but not others. Cognition seems to play an important part in this as children need to be able to notice the activity and also be able to remember it fully. Bandura calls this ‘social cognitive theory’

The Social Learning Theory is best defined as crime is learned through associations with others who commit crimes. Juveniles are very impressionable or gullible, wherein they want to be popular or part of the in-crowd or clique. In comparison to the 1970’s versus today, juveniles are emulating criminals depicted on television not just through associations. Consider the current state of technology, specifically the internet and websites such as “You Tube.” With respect to crime and juvenile delinquents, You Tube is and can be a negative influence. In addressing the topics of associations and crime, the Columbine massacre, as well as the current school shootings, can be attributed to the Social Learning Theory.

Many theories have been created over the years to explain why not only delinquents but other individuals as well engage in deviant behavior. Social learning theory is one of the most pronounced theories in criminology. As we all may know, there will always be some sort of inappropriate behavior that leads to crime. This theory attempts to figure out what is it that makes people commit these acts. The social learning theory is a theory I believe produces a well-explained reasoning behind why people behave the way they do. This theory states that human behavior is modeled through imitation, observation, and one’s environment.

The Social Learning Theory explains how “violence is learned in the same way that anything else is learned; the process is no different”. This theory examines the ways in which people learn to behave aggressively or violently. Modeling, reinforcing, and imitating the behavior as well as the attitudes are ways in which people learn to act violently. Research show that they tend to act so when they are being rewarded for it, when they observe it, is victimized by it, and when they don’t develop strong enough connections with others. Burgess and Akers go into further detail about this by exploring the exposure to violent media, while Sutherland’s “Differential Association Theory” compares the pro-violence against the pro-social values.

Although a variety of factors are seen to influence alcohol consumption among students (especially college students), peer influence has surfaced to be one of the most dominant predictors of the initiation and continuation of alcohol use in an institution stetting (Borsari and Carey). Through the concept of social learning theory, it is clear that the effectiveness of peer influences is determined by peer relationships. Specifically, modeling and cognitive processes are able to describe how peer relation influences alcohol usage. Modeling occurs when an individual imitates or acquires new behaviors through observation of others (Maisto, Carey and Bradizza). Behaviors that are rewarded are more likely to be mimicked than those that are

Furthermore, criminal behavior is often studied from the point of view of the social learning theory. Thus, Jeffrey (1995) argues that criminal behavior is learned from the social environment. Akers (1990), on the other hand, views criminality from the point of rational choice theory, arguing that social learning is not the only indicator of criminal behavior and that a choice made by a person who is being influenced by their immediate environment can deter from engaging in criminal activity. Building on Akers research, Bradshaw (2011) points out that social learning theory has its limits when it comes to criminology is not applicable many of the types of crime, specifically, corporate and state crime.

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 believe that Alberts Bandura’s social learning theory plays a very important role for understanding children's behavior. People says the phrase: “Monkey see, monkey do” about small children. Children watch the actions of others and like to imitate them. Babies see people waving as they say goodbye, they soon begin to wave and say “bye bye.” Many parents say that their second or third child started walking or talking at an earlier age than their first child. I believe this is because they see their siblings running around playing, so they learn at an earlier age. I think that children observes the way that their parents act, and they develop the same personality. For example, if a child is surrounded by people fighting and yelling when they

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’s Social Learning Theory is a theory that includes development theories in order to understand how children learn. Bandura’s theory is based on how people can learn by observing others, how internal mental states influence people, and how learning something does not change one’s behavior every time. Bandura was able to find out that people learn by three observational models. The first model is the live model which includes observing how someone demonstrates the behavior, the verbal instruction model which learning occurs through auditory directions, and the symbolic model where modeling occurs through media sources such as internet, movies, and books.