Question

What is obervational learning? Give an example of it

Answer 1

Observational learning is a form of social learning in which children learn by observation. They tend to learn from the behavior of others and may even imitate the same behavior. The people who are observed are called models. These models could be parents, friends, siblings, teachers, television characters, or other people in their surroundings. Children often consider people who are in a higher status or people who are in authority in their environment as their models. Young children may replicate the behavior of their models without considering if the behavior is gender appropriate or not. However, they learn to see the differences in masculine and feminine behaviors by observing their models and are more likely to behave in the way that is considered appropriate for their gender. Children often regard people of their sex or people whom they perceive to be similar to them as their models. Some simple examples are children imitating facial expressions, children clapping or waving when their models do, etc. Observational learning differs from imitative learning. When copying their model’s behavior, children often observe even the consequences of such behavior. For example, if children see that their models faced no consequences for their violent or aggressive behavior, they replicate the same behavior fearlessly. Similarly, if a certain behavior is rewarded, they tend to repeat that behavior.