Question

Describe Bandura’s social learning theory

Answer 1

The social learning theory? by Albert Bandura states that people learn from observing others, this happens through imitation and observing others behavior. He conducted a study in which he made a group of children watch a video of adults behaving aggressively with bobo doll, which is a plastic toy shaped like bobo the clown. They were seen hitting and punching the dolls. After watching the video, he let the children in a room where there were bobo dolls, the children imitated the behavior of the adults in the video.

They also started hitting and punching the bobo doll, this is known as observation learning, where the children learned from observing the adults. One important factor was that in the video, it was shown that the adults were enjoying hitting and behaving aggressively with dolls, which made the children also think that it was enjoyable to hit the doll, this is know has vicarious learning.

Vicarious learning is used formally in behavior therapy in children and also is used as a modeling technique to treat phobias.This observational learning or vicarious learning helps people learn by observing others and not make mistakes which others have made.It also helps in children and adults learn various skills such as learning a language or playing a sport just by observing other people.