The Social Learning Theory (Coursework Sample)

The Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory was proposed by Albert Bandura, a Canadian-American psychologist, in 1977. The theory emphasizes the significance of observing, modelling, and imitating other people's behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions. Albert Bandura developed this theory based on observations made on how cognitive and environmental factors interacted to impact learning and behavior in students. In the Social Learning Theory, the psychologist noted that individuals under observation are called models. Students observe these models and imitate their behavior and actions. Influential role models in society include parents, teachers, family members, peers, family members, and members of society.
Observational Learning and Role Modeling
            Role modeling is a key concept of the Social Learning Theory. It suggests that young learners observe and learn from the behavior of the people around them. Influential models act as a reference point for young children’s learning processes (Billings and Halstead, 2019). Examples of observable behavior include pro- and anti-social behavior, masculine and feminine characteristics, and social skills. The learning process begins when children pay attention to some of the influential models and encode their behavior. Later, the young learners practice the behavior they observed. The children may copy and imitate behavior regardless of whether it is gender-appropriate or not. There are a number of mechanisms that may increase the likelihood that a child will replicate the behavior that the society they live in considers appropriate for their gender.
            At first, young learners are more likely to pay attention to and imitate people that appear to be similar to them. As a result, they are more likely to copy and replicate the behaviors of people of that gender. For instance, a young boy who watches his father wear a tie every morning may start wearing a tie like all the other men who dress like that. What follows after the young learner copies and imitates the observed behavior determines whether they reinforce it or repress it. For instance, if the boy receives positive compliments for wearing a neat tie like his father, he is more likely to do it often and make it a habit. Rewarding reinforces behavior.
Positive and Negative Reinforcement
            Reinforcement, according to Social Learning Theory, works because learners naturally seek approval. Approval from other people, such as peers and teachers, is a positive external reinforcement, while feeling good about one’s accomplishments is a positive internal reinforcement. According to Billings and Halstead (2019), a behavior is weakened or strengthened in response to positive or negative consequences. Young learners are more likely to repeat behavior that earns them the most approval, and they tend to avoid behavior that earns them less approval. The impact of behavioral reinforcement depends on an individual learner's need for approval, or sometimes, disapproval. In both cases of positive or negative reinforcement, the learner changes their behavior.
Vicarious Reinforcement
            A social learner will always watch out for the consequences of other people’s actions. If a model gets a reward for an action performed, the learner is likely to copy that action. On the other hand, if a model’s behavior attracts punishment, the learner is likely to avoid imitating it. According to the Social Learning Theory, a learner is inclined to copy and replicate behavior that they deem rewarding and make it their own.