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Bandura's Social Learning Theory

BACKGROUND OF SOCIAL LEARNING AND COGNITIVE THEORY

Social learning and imitation was proposed by Miller and Dollard but rejected ideas of behaviorism related by association. It was a theory of learning, however, that did not account for new responses or the processes of delayed and non-reinforced imitations. Bandura widened the not yet developed parts of social learning theory in his book Social Learning and Personality Development written in 1963. It was not until the 1970’s, that Bandura discovered there was something missing to the present day learning theories as well as his own social learning theory. The missing link to his theory were self-beliefs. This was identified in his writing “Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.”

Albert Bandura discovered the big debate in dealing with the concept of behaviorism. He felt that it was inadequate for describing complex human functioning and that it is a person’s environment that causes behavior. He argued that the “cause and effect relationship between environmental forces and behavior outcomes are reciprocal, that people’s environments and their behavior simultaneously create and affect each other.” In his publication of Foundations of Thought and Action: A

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What are four ways self-beliefs affect behavior?

BANDURA COMPARED TO OTHER THEORISTS

Motivational Theorists and their Basic Ideas

Name Theory Central element of theory Explanation of motivation

Maslow Humanistic Needs hierarchy Needs satisfaction

Bruner Cognitive Intrinsic processes Mixed motives

Skinner Operant conditioning Reinforcement Schedules of reinforcement

Bandura Social cognitive Imitation Modeling

Structural Components Skinner Bandura Piaget

Internal Principles: -Differential reinforcement-Discriminative stimulus-Shaping -Triadic reciprocality (behavior, cognition, environment) -assimilation, accommodation, equilibration-organization and adaptation

Bridge Principles: -Schedules of reinforcement-Generalization-Chaining -Differential contributions-Temporal dynamics-Fortuitous determinants -Schemes-Operations-Cognitive structures

Change Mechanism: -Reinforcement -Production processes-Motivation processes -Equilibration (of maturation, experience, social transmission)

Theory Behaviorism Neo-behaviorism Cognitivism Constructivism Humanism

Theorists Skinner ThorndikeWatson HebbHullBandura PiagetGagnéBrunerAusubel PiagetPapert RogersMaslowKnowlesVella

OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING IN THE SOCIAL LEARNING ANALYSIS

Attentional Retention Motor reproduction Motivational

processes processes processes processes

-distinctiveness -cognitive organization -physical capabilities -external

-affective valence - symbolic coding -availability of component reinforcment

-complexity - symbolic rehearsal responses -vicarious

-prevalence - motor rehearsal -self observation of reproductions

-functional value -accuracy feedback reinforcement

-observer characteristics -self-

-sensory capacities reinforcement

-arousal level

-perceptual set

-past reinforcement

A Cartoon relating to Bandura and his work on aggression through television. Bandura’s theory is the better version of Miller and Dollard ‘s previous behavioral modeling. When I watch elite swimmers compete in the Olympics it motivates me to swim better.

OUTLINE OF SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

Albert Bandura stresses the importance of observing and modeling the attitudes, behaviors, and emotional reactions of others. First, they influence choice of behavior.

SELF-REGULATION

Bandura’s theory claims that individuals have regulators that show a person can have the potential to change oneself. Retention is based on the capability to make and use symbols. For example, a person that is self-confident will in return take on challenging performances than a person that is doubtful. This helps a person to understand their way of thinking and behavior therefore allowing them to change their thoughts or behavior. They are also referred to as his five human competencies. He added promised reinforcement, the observer and his results from observing, vicariousness, and the motivation from observing a model.

Of course, attention and retention resulting in reproduction are great but there also has to be some motivation behind it. A person can self-evaluate their knowledge and behavior.

QUESTIONS TO SHARPEN YOUR FOCUS

1) In Bandura’s learning through modeling behavior he has four component processes. Bandura wrote, “what people think, believe, and feel affects how they behave.

Approximate Word count = 1907
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

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