Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory – A Comprehensive Guide

Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory: Beginnings

The social learning theory was developed in 1977. However, the groundwork for it was set in 1961 with Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment.

In this experiment, three groups of children were exposed to three different conditions. The first group was shown clips of an adult behaving aggressively towards a large plastic doll, i.e., the “Bobo doll.” The second group was shown clips of adults dealing non-aggressively with the Bobo doll. The third group, the control group, was shown neither aggressive nor non-aggressive models.

In social learning theory, the subject being observed and imitated is a “model.” Hence, the adults in the clips were models of the behaviors they were engaging in.

It was found that children who observed the aggressive models were more likely to display aggressive behaviors towards the Bobo doll themselves, as compared to the children who observed a non-aggressive model or no model at all.

Hence, the Bobo Doll Experiment proved that children learn by observing and imitating other models, laying down the foundations for Albert Bandura’s social learning theory.

Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory: Core Concepts

Let us first look at the core concepts of social learning theory to understand its scope.

#1: People Learn Through Observation

The first core concept of social learning theory is that people learn through observation. Humans have the capacity to observe others’ actions and their outcomes and learn from them.

This observation does not have to be real-time, in-person observation. Hearing others’ experiences, reading, and watching demonstrations are all mediums through which observational learning can take place. Hence, consuming media, podcasts, books, etc. are sources of information for observational learning.

#2: Mediational Processes Play an Important Role in Learning

Albert Bandura’s social learning theory emphasizes the impact of external reinforcements, as well as intrinsic reinforcements.

Bandura proposed that learning doesn’t only take place when the environment reinforces it. Instead, learners’ internal mental states such as motivation and attention influence whether learning takes place or not in a given scenario. These mental states are known as mediational processes and are crucial to the learning process.

Hence, social learning theory acknowledges the role of cognition in learning and is often called the social cognitive theory as a result.

The mediational processes that support learning are:

Attention

Only when learners are paying attention to a model or other similar sources of information can they learn. Hence, a behavior has to grab the learners’ attention and interest them. Further in the article, you will learn about ways in which a model can be made more compelling for a specific audience.

Retention

Secondly, learners need to remember behaviors in order to imitate them.

Motor reproduction

Learners must be able to reproduce the behaviors they are imitating. They can either do this physically or mentally. This aspect of social learning guides people’s decisions to learn certain things, to some extent. For instance, complex and demanding physical abilities and skills like sports, gymnastics, and dance.

Motivation

Learners also need to have motivation to imitate a behavior. This is usually gauged by whether a behavior’s outcome or reward outweighs its perceived cost. Learners are more likely to imitate behaviors that are deemed as more rewarding.

These mediational processes are also the steps in which social learning takes place. Learners take interest in a model and eventually imitate them if they have been able to retain the behavior and feel sufficiently motivated to carry it out.

#3: Not All Learning Leads to Change

Lastly, social learning states that sometimes learning occurs at a cognitive level, without leading to observable behavioral change.

Types of Models in Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Now that you know the core concepts of social learning theory, let us understand models, i.e., the source of learning.

As mentioned, social learning occurs by observing a model and imitating them. Models can be of multiple types, they don’t necessarily have to be people you are observing in real time. Here are the different types of models in social learning theory:

Live models

Live models are what come to mind when thinking of social learning. These are people you observe doing a behavior, in real-time and in the same environment as you.

Verbal instructional model

A verbal instructional model is a detailed description of a behavior without a visual depiction.

Symbolic model

A symbolic model is encountered via media, such as books, television and film, online media, etc.

What Influences Social Learning?

We don’t learn from everyone and everything we observe. Instead, only specific models lead to social learning. What are the factors that influence the effectiveness of a model for a certain audience? Let us explore each of them.

Similarity

One factor that determines if people will observe and imitate a model is how similar they think the model is to them. This can include age, gender, race and ethnicity, personal associations and affiliations, values, shared interests, etc.

For instance, in the Bobo doll experiment, boys were more likely to imitate a same-sex model.

Identification

Models who are similar or have traits an individual aspires to are more likely to be effective. When identification is strong, observes don’t just imitate a single behavior. Instead, they might adopt several behaviors. For instance, the popularity of concepts like “5 habits of a CEO” includes a component of aspirational identification with the models, who are successful CEOs in this case.

Status

Models with a high-status are more likely to be imitated. This includes celebrities, leaders, and experts. Their high-status is seen as proof of their credibility, making them seem more reliable due to having achieved success in their domains. For instance, people are more likely to imitate their manager than a coworker.

Vicarious reinforcement

Models are more likely to be imitated when they are rewarded for their behavior. This is known as vicarious reinforcement, and is a crucial concept in Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. Vicarious reinforcement gives learners important information about the outcome of a behavior, allowing them to gauge whether imitating it will benefit them or not. For example, if you are working towards a promotion, you will not imitate behaviors known to deteriorate performance appraisals.

Applying Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory in Corporate Training

Social learning theory can greatly benefit corporate training programs, improving learner engagement, learning relevance, and effectiveness of the outcomes.

Some ways in which you can facilitate social learning is corporate training are:

• Demos
• Scenarios
• Explainer videos
• Podcasts
• Shadowing
• Coaching
• Content from industry experts, such as books, excerpts, day-in-the-life videos, talks, etc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the aim of Bandura’s social learning theory?

The aim of social learning theory is to highlight that learning can take place by observing others’ behaviors and their consequences.

What are the 3 core concepts of Bandura’s social learning theory?

The 3 core concepts of Albert Bandura’s social learning theory are:

• People learn through observation
• Mediational processes play an important role in learning
• Not all learning leads to change

What is the main concept of social learning?

The main concept of social learning is that people learn by observing and imitating others.