Chapter 4c Flashcards
Social cognitive approaches to learning
theories that propose learning takes place in
a social setting and involves various cognitive processes
Social learning theory
which was first proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura. In the 1960s, Bandura conducted a variety of studies investigating how children learn by imitating others. From these studies, he suggested that learning occurs in a social setting and behaviours can be learnt by watching and imitating others in these settings. His theory was later revised as the social-cognitive theory in order to highlight that learning is not only a social process but a cognitive one too. This revised approach to learning emphasises the importance of cognitive processes, such as concentration, motivation, memory, and decision-making, when learning in a social setting. Observational learning is a social-cognitive approach to learning that emerged from Bandura’s studies.
Observational learning (also known as social learning, vicarious conditioning, or modelling)
a process of learning that involves watching the behaviour of a model and the associated consequence of that behaviour
Model
(in relation to observational learning) the individual who is performing the behaviour that is being observed
Model types
Verbal: doesn’t display but explains behaviour
Live : displays behaviour in real life
Symbolic: character (book film tv media) display behaviour
Observational learning stages
These stages are attention, retention, reproduction, motivation, and reinforcement.
Attention
Attention is the first stage of observational learning in which individuals actively focus on the model’s behaviour and the consequences of the behaviour. If the individual does not actively concentrate on the behaviour the model is displaying, then it is unlikely that they will retain this information.
Bandura identified that there are factors that may influence whether learners pay attention to models. In particular, Bandura proposed that learners are more likely to pay attention to the model when the model is:
• perceived positively
• liked
• of high status (such as a celebrity)
• similar to the learner
• familiar to the learner
• visible and stands out from others
• behaving in a way that the learner believes can be imitated.
Retention
Retention is the second stage of observational learning in which individuals create a mental representation to remember the model’s demonstrated behaviour. If the individual has met this stage this means that the information they have paid attention to is stored in their memory. This information can then be accessed later on when the individual goes to perform the behaviour.
Reproduction
Reproduction is the third stage of observational learning in which the individual must have the physical and mental capabilities to replicate the behaviour. Although an individual may have paid attention to the model and retained the information, if they do not have the physical or mental ability to successfully replicate the behaviour, then they will be unable to reproduce the behaviour.
Often, reproduction is the stage that many people do not achieve. This is because it tends to be easier for individuals to attend to and retain information, and have motivation than it is to gain physical and/or mental abilities.
This is because people lack control over their physical and mental capabilities, which can make it more challenging to complete this stage. For example,
an individual with a broken leg may meet all stages of observational learning for playing netball but cannot meet reproduction, regardless of their effort in other stages.
Motivation
Motivation is the fourth stage of observational learning in which the individual must want to reproduce the behaviour. Motivation is a cognitive process in which individuals must desire to perform the behaviour they are observing after they have observed it. This motivation can be either intrinsic or extrinsic.
• Intrinsic motivations occur from within the individual, such as the desire to perform well on an exam.
• Extrinsic motivations occur from factors that are external to the individual, such as the desire to receive praise from your teacher for doing well on an exam.
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is the fifth stage of observational learning in which the individual receives a positive consequence for the behaviour which makes them more likely to reproduce the behaviour again in the future. There are different types of reinforcement that are outlined below.
• Self-reinforcement: the behaviour is reinforced through factors internal to the individual, such as feeling proud of themselves.
• External reinforcement: the behaviour is reinforced by factors external to the individual, such as receiving an award.
• Vicarious reinforcement: the behaviour is reinforced by observing
the reinforcement of another person performing the same behaviour. This can enhance the individual’s motivation and make them more likely to reproduce the behaviour again in the future, despite not being directly reinforced themselves.
