Week 3: The Theory of Theorist, Albert Bandura (1925- 2021)

Observe - Model - Imitate

Social Learning Theory- Renamed in 1986 to Social Cognitive Theory

How we learn from our social experiences.

"People not only gain understanding through reflection, they evaluate and alter their own thinking." - Albert Bandura from Social Foundations of Thought and Action, 1986

Albert Banduras' Social Learning Theory Social Learning Theory can be divided into three distinct concepts. They are:

- Observation of learning

- Bobo Doll Experiment

- observed through:

- live models - symbolic Modelling

- verbal instructional modelling - Intrinsic Motivation

- internal state of mind and motivation to learn

- Learning and Behaviour Change

- attention

- retention

- reproduction

- motivation

This theory states that we learn through observation and modelling. We imitate what we see in order to try the new learning ourselves.

Child Development and Albert Bandura

In 1961 Bandura completed a study referred to as the Bobo Doll Experiment. The experiments' objective was to observe social behaviour of children and how aggression observed and modeled for the child impacts their responses. A Monkey-see, Monkey-do idiom. The results of the study shows that children that observed aggression also displayed the same levels of aggression. Many children mirrored the exact same motions as the study models. In conclusion, it is important to note that children have continuous observable inputs; such as parents, siblings, TV characters, teachers and advertisement. Through the Social Cognitive Theory we have the knowledge to ensure we model positive behaviours and encourage children to work through their big feelings in a productive and neutral manner.

Please see Reference page for full citations: The Brain: A Secret History - Emotions; Bandura Bobo Doll Experiment - YouTube

.Social Learning Theory: Albert Bandura - Educational Technology Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment on Social Learning (verywellmind.com)