Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory
emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes,
and emotional reactions of others. The theory originally evolved from
behaviorism but now includes many of the ideas that cognitivists also hold; as
a result it is some times called social
cognitive learning.
Core concepts of Social learning theory
There are five core concepts at
the heart of social learning theory. Let's explore each of these concepts in
greater depth.
1. People can learn by observing others
Observational Learning
From its origin one core assertion within SCT has been that
people learn through observation. This process is also described as vicarious
learning or modeling because learning is a result of watching the behavior and
consequences of models in the environment.
Types of Models
Direct Modeling
- Simply attempting to imitate the model's behavior.
- Live models include family members, friends, work associates and others with whom the individual has direct contact.
Symbolic Modeling
- Imitating behaviors displayed by characters in books, plays, movies, or television.
- The symbolic model is a pictorial representation of behavior.
Synthesized Modeling
- Developing behaviors by combining portions of observed acts.
- A child uses a chair to get up and open the cupboard door after seeing her brother use a chair to get a book from a shelf and seeing her mother open the cupboard door.
2. Outcome expectation
Outcome expectations
reflect individuals' beliefs about what consequences are most likely to ensue
if particular behaviors are performed. For instance, children may believe that
if they get a hit during a baseball game the crowd will cheer, they will feel
good and will be admired by their teammates. These beliefs are formed inactively
through students' own past experiences and vicariously through the observation
of others. Outcome expectations are important in SCT because they shape the
decisions people make about what actions to take and which behaviors to
suppress.
3. Perceived self-efficacy
Self-efficacy also has emerged as a prominent and
influential concept within SCT. Self-efficacy reflects individuals' beliefs
about whether they can achieve a given level of successful at a particular task
(Bandura, 1997). Students with greater self-efficacy are more confident in
their abilities to be successful when compared to their peers with lower
self-efficacy.
4. Goal
Setting.
Goals are also closely related to important processes
within SCT. For instance, models can provide goals in the form of specific
behavioral outcomes or more general standards for acceptable levels of
performance. Goals are a function of the outcomes students expects from
engaging in particular behaviors and the confidence they have for completing
those behaviors successfully. Finally, goals are an important prerequisite for
self-regulation because they provide objectives that students are trying to
achieve and benchmarks against which to judge progress.
Self-regulation.
Many of the most common models,
however, have strong roots in SCT. SCT models of self-regulation assume that
self-regulation is dependent on goal setting. SCT views of self-regulation
initially emphasized three sub-processes.
1. Self-observation reflects students' ability to
monitor or keep track of their own behaviors and outcomes.
2. Self-judgment is the process through which
students' evaluate whether their actions are effective and allow them to make
progress toward their goals.
3. Self-reaction occurs when students' respond to
the evaluations they have made by modifying their behavior, rewarding it, or
discontinuing it.
- This is a broad assumption that acknowledges behavior is dynamic and is a consequence of the continuous interaction between the person, past events and the current environment
- This is not empirically tested and provides a nice out!
- The environment is composed of the social environment. Family, friends, peers at work or in the classroom
- And the physical environment
- Situation refers to the person’s perception of the environment
