Social learning theory (Albert Bandura) Created Macha Hendry S.

Social learning theory is the theory where by people learns from one another, via observation, imitation and modeling.

Social learning theory posits that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct reinforcement. (Bandura, Albert, 1963)

Social-learning theory, formulated by Albert Bandura (1971), is a cognitive and behavioral theory of learning. It differentiates between acquisition of knowledge or skills and performance. Social-learning theory emphasizes that people typically acquire the ability to perform a certain skill by observing some model. Models may be behavioral, pictorial, or verbal. The process of learning from a model (acquisition) is cognitive; it takes place by means of mental coding and organization. It occurs before learners actually demonstrate the ability to perform the skill (Kinlaw, 1989). A person often “learns” a skill and rehearses its performance mentally before actually having the opportunity to perform it. Social-learning theory also emphasizes that behavior or performance is part of the learning process and that performance, coupled with feedback and reinforcement, strengthens skill development.

People learn through observing others behavior, attitudes, and outcomes of these behavior. Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling, from observing others, one form an idea of how behaviors are performed and on later occasions this coded information serves as guide for action, (Bandura, 1936). Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral and environmental influence.

Prior to 1960, published theories of learning were heavily influenced by theories of classic conditioning, operant conditioning, and the psychoanalytic concept of drives.  In 1959, Noam Chomsky published his criticism of B.F. Skinner's book VerbalBehavior. (Skinner, B. F. 1957). In his review, Chomsky stated that pure stimulus-response theories of behavior could not account for the process of language acquisition, an argument that contributed significantly to psychology's cognitive revolution.

Question: Write comprehensive notes about Social learning theory (Albert Bandura)

Albert Bandura in his research identified two distinctive types (key terms) of social learning as observational learning and modeling.

Observational learning; People learn by watching others, acquire, maintain, and modifying behavior that we see others perform. Imitation is more likely when the subject of observation is seen as smart, popular or talented and rewarded for the behavior. Bandura identified four sub processes of observational learning:

 Attention relates to how well the learners attend to what is being presented, whether they perceive accurately what is being modeled, and whether they select from the model the most relevant attributes. Attention is affected by the distinctiveness or perceptual clarity of what is modeled, the complexity of the model, the learner’s perceptions of the value of what is modeled, the learner’s perceptual (mind) set, and the learner’s past reinforcement patterns.

 Retention deals with an element in observational learning that is ignored in theories of imitation (such as behaviorism and other reinforcement theories). Research has shown that when learners acquire a modeled response without performing it as modeled; they must be retaining the modeled response in some mental or symbolic form. The process of retention includes symbolic coding, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, and motor rehearsal.

Reproduction is the performance of a modeled pattern. It includes the elements of physical capabilities, availability of component responses, self-observation, and accuracy of feedback. Transition through this sub process depends largely on the availability of the component responses required to reproduce the model. Learning to reproduce a complex, modeled interaction requires that each of the constituent skills in the interaction be modeled for the learners and performed by them before they go on to the more complex behaviors required in the complete interaction.

 Motivation is the incentive for continuing a learned behavior. Obviously, people do not demonstrate every learned behavior. People are motivated to continue a behavior only if they believe that they will benefit from it. Their perceptions of whether the behavior will benefit or hinder them are formed from their observations of how effective the behavior seems to be for others. From their observations of others and from personal experience, people form criteria of acceptable and unacceptable behavior. These criteria are then used to evaluate and to accept or reject new behaviors.

Modeling and Shaping; Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling, from observing others, one forms and idea of how a new behaviors are formed and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. This happen when we observe a performer doing things to other person and then we do the same.

The acquisition of complicated skills requires much more than a simple stimulus response relationship. A series of stimulus-response behaviors must be learned, and the relationships between them must be understood so that they can be combined into a functional pattern. Modeling (imitating) and shaping (learning component skills) are two effective ways to learn complicated skills. Both are based on Bandura’s social-learning theory. They are ways of teaching that are not didactic.

Imitation occurs when one performs a behavior that one has observed another person performing. Children learn in this way by mimicking adults. Unconscious and conscious imitations are ways of learning from others. The concept of behavioral modeling as a learning technique is based on principles of imitation, behavioral rehearsal (practice), reinforcement/reward, and transfer (Robinson, 1982). To work effectively, it requires imitation of a specific set of steps in a defined situation; repeated, guided practice in performing the desired behaviors; feedback on performance; and reinforcement for demonstration and application of correct behaviors.

Shaping is the learning of a series of individual skills that are components of a complicated skill, with reinforcement at each stage to encourage the use of the new skill and provide forward momentum. Positive reinforcement may be in the form of praise, reward, new learning, increased responsibility, or the like. Negative reinforcement also may occur, as the learner makes fewer mistakes or incurs fewer injuries. Increased personal pride and confidence on the part of the learner also contribute to the learning process.

Social learning theory integrated behavioral in order to provide a comprehensive model that could account for the wide range of learning experiences that occur in the real world. As initially outlined by Bandura and Walters in 1963 and further detailed in 1977, key tenets of social learning theory are as follows:

• Learning is not purely behavioral; rather, it is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context.

• Learning can occur by observing a behavior and by observing the consequences of the behavior (vicarious reinforcement).
• Learning involves observation, extraction of information from those observations, and making decisions about the performance of the behavior (observational learning or modeling). Thus, learning can occur without an observable change in behavior.
• Reinforcement plays a role in learning but is not entirely responsible for learning.
• The learner is not a passive recipient of information. Cognition, environment, and behavior all mutually influence each other (reciprocal determinism).

Educational  implications  of social learning  theory, social  learning  theory  has  numerous  implications  for classroom  use.

• Students often learn a great deal simply by observing other people.
•   Describing  the  consequences  of  behavior   can  effectively increase  the  appropriate  behaviors  and  decrease  inappropriate  ones. This can  involve  discussing  with learners  about  the  rewards  and  consequences  of various  behaviors.
• Modeling provides an alternative to shaping for teaching new behaviors.  Instead  of using  shaping,  which is  operant  conditioning, modeling can  provide  a faster,  more efficient  means  for  teaching  new behavior.  To promote  effective modeling a  teacher  must  make sure  that  the  four  essential  conditions  exist;  attention,  retention  ,  motor  reproduction,  and motivation.
•  Teachers  and  parents  must model appropriate  behaviors and  take  care  that  they  do not model inappropriate  behaviors.
• Teachers should expose students to a variety of other models.  This technique is especially important to break down traditional stereotypes.
•  Students must believe that they are capable of accomplishing school tasks.  Thus it is very important to develop a sense of self-efficacy for students. Teachers  can  promote  such  self-efficacy  by having students  receive  confidence-building  messages,  watch  others be  successful,  and  experience  success  on  their  own.
•  Teachers should help students set realistic expectations for their academic accomplishments, to making sure that class expectations are not set too low. 
•  Self-regulation techniques provide an effective method for improving student behavior.

Effects of social learning theory in classroom by integrating it with ICT

In summary ICT has the following contributions in teaching and learning process, according to Gregoire et al (1996) with respect to student learning; new technologies can stimulate the development of intellectual skills, can contribute to the ways of learning knowledge, skills and attitudes, although this is dependent on previously acquired knowledge and the type of learning activity. Also new technologies spur spontaneous interest more than traditional approaches as well as students using new technologies concentrate more than students in traditional settings