Social Cognitive Theory
Social Learning Theory
Chapter 3
Traditional Learning Theory
History of the Theory
Behaviorism
Watson
It should come as no surprise that children learned faster than rats but more slowly than college sophomores (Miller, 2002, p. 168-169).
Social Learning
Theorists trained by Clark Hull, but inspired by Freud combined learning theory and psychoanalytic theory.
Socialization was emphasized.
Imitation was also a focus and was viewed in its relationship to identification with the same-sex parent.
History of the Theory
Albert Bandura
Research began in the early 1960s
Modeling
Bobo doll
Less concerned about literal imitation and more concerned about what can be learned from observing others.
Observational learning.
General Orientation to the Theory
Emphasis on Learning
Traditional Learning Theory
Environmental, nonbiological behavioral influences are emphasized.
Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning
Social Learning Theory
Animal behavior does not generalize to human behavior.
Interested in social behavior and social context.
Broadened the types of learning to observational.
Explain how novel, complex behaviors can suddenly emerge.
Explain how behaviors can be learned in situations where mistakes can be costly or life-threatening.
Abstract modeling
Feedback is an incentive, but reinforcement and punishment are not necessary for observational learning to occur.
General Orientation to the Theory
Social Learning Theory
Models
Teach new behaviors.
Strengthen or weaken inhibitions.
Draw attention to particular objects, thereby increasing their use in a variety of ways.
Increase emotional arousal.
General Orientation to the Theory
Causal Model Includes Environment
Traditional Learning Theory
Sinner posited that a person does not act upon the world, the world acts upon him (1971, p. 211).
Social Learning Theory
Triadic reciprocal causation.
Imposed environments.
Selected environments.
Created environments.
Triadic Reciprocal Causation
General Orientation to the Theory
Acquired Behavior Can Be Simple
Traditional learning Theory
Reductionist strategy is utilized to break behavior down to its simplest units or associations.
In contrast to Freud and Piaget in which behavior can only be understood in terms of its structural context.
Social Learning Theory
Acquiring large chunks of behavior by observation is a very efficient way to learn (Miller, 2002, p. 185)
General Orientation to the Theory
Focus on Observable Behavior
Traditional Learning Theory
Only observable behavior can be studied in a scientific manner.
Over time, expectations, concepts, and rules became more accepted.
Social Learning Theory
Focus is on overt, imitative behaviors.
Focus is also on underlying cognitive processes.
General Orientation to the Theory
Focus on Underlying Cognitive Processing
Social Learning Theory
Analogy to a computer program.
Cognitive factors influence what is observed, how that person or event is perceived how this new information is organized for the future, whether the observational learning has a lasting effect, and what this effect is (Miller, 2002, p. 187).
Subprocesses Underlying Observational Learning
Subprocesses Underlying Observational Learning
Attentional Processes
Modeled events
Salience
Affective valence
Complexity
Prevalence
Functional
Retention Processes
Symbolic coding
Cognitive organization
Cognitive rehearsal
Enactive rehearsal
Subprocesses Underlying Observational Learning
Production Processes
Cognitive representation
Observation of enactments
Feedback information
Conception matching
Motivational Processes
External incentives
Sensory
Tangible
Social
Control
Vicarious Incentives
Self-incentives
Tangible
Self-evaluative
General Orientation to the Theory
Self-Efficacy
Social Learning Theory
Perceived self-efficacy is a judgment of ones ability to organize and execute given types of performances, whereas an outcome expectation is a judgment of the likely consequence such performances will produce (Bandura, 1997, p. 21).
Self efficacy develops via
Mastery experiences
Observational Learning
Praise and encouragement
Physiological and affective states
General Orientation to the Theory
Self Efficacy
Social Learning Theory
Self-efficacy is domain specific
Slight overestimations in motivate individuals to attempt challenging tasks.
Self-efficacy is responsible for persistence in the face of rejection.
Collective efficacy
Refers to the efficacy of a group.
Click here for more information on Self-Efficacy provided by Frank Pajares.
General Orientation to the Theory
Methodology
Traditional Learning Theory
Physical sciences model (physics envy)
Tightly controlled, small-scale laboratory experiments were preferred.
Behavior modification A-B-A design
Social Learning Theory
Consistent with TLT, rigorous experimental designs.
Mechanisms of Development
The focus is on processes of change and not structural change.
Development occurs because
Individuals physically mature.
Individuals experience the social world.
Individuals develop cognitively.
Position on Developmental Issues
Human Nature
Although traditional learning theory is often considered a mechanistic (passive) view of human nature, social learning theory takes more of a contextualist view, but with little attention to historical-cultural influences.
The role of illogical, irrational thought is more important for Bandura than Piaget.
Because children acquire styles of processing from others, they may utilize illogical problem-solving models.
Position on Developmental Issues
Qualitative Versus Quantitative Development
Change is predominately quantitative.
Nature Versus Nurture
Children are malleable, but within limits (Miller, 2002, p. 200).
Triadic reciprocal causation.
Position on Developmental Issues
What Develops
Process is more important than content. As a result, identifying what develops is more difficult, with culture/ environment playing an important role.
In other words, there is no universal goal or endpoint to development (Miller, 2002, p. 201).
The ability to use observing or listening to others, or attending to symbolic characters, to learn is what develops.
Symbolization
Vicarious learning
Self-regulation
Self-efficacy
Ability to see future consequences of present behaviors
Evaluation of the Theory
Strengths
Focus on situational influences on behavior.
Testability.
Weaknesses
Inadequate account of cognitive development.
Inadequate description in natural settings.