Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura

Prepared by : Sarahandi Api Abdullah

Learning By Response Consequences

• Direct experience : Positive and negative effect

• Learning by reinforcement portrayed as a mechanic process

• Profit more extensively

• Response consequences have several functions

Response Consequences

Informative Function

Motivational Function

Reinforcing Function

Informative Function

• Not only perform responses but also notice the effects they produce

• Develop hypotheses about response

• Serve as guide for future action

• Outcomes change behaviour in human largely

• Consequences generally produce little change in complex behaviour

Motivational Function

• Anticipatory enable humans to be motivated

• People can convert future consequences into current motivation of behaviour

• Anticipatory thought encourages foresightful behaviour

Reinforcing Function • Consequences increase behaviour automatically without conscious

involvement

• Reinforcing consequences were ineffective in modifying behaviour as long as participants were unaware of the reinforcement contingency: but participants suddenly increased the appropriate behaviour when they discovered which responses would be rewarded (Spielberger and De Nike, 1966).

• Behaviour is not much affected by it consequences without awareness of what is being reinforced (Dulany, 1968).

• Learning can occur without awareness, albeit slowly and quite efficiently (Postman and Sassenrath, 1961).

• Awareness is not an all-or non phenomenon

• Reinforcement provide an effective means of regulating behaviour that have already learn

Learning Through Modelling

• Most human behaviour is learned observationally through modelling

• People can learn from example

Four Component Processes

Attentional Process

Retention Processes

Motor Reproduction

Processes

Motivational Processes

Attentional Process

• Modelling Stimuli

• Distinctiveness

• Affective Valence

• Complexity

• Prevalence

• Functional Value

• Observer Characteristics

• Sensory Capacities

• Aurosal Lebel

• Perceptual Set

• Past reinforcement

Retention Process

• Symbolic Coding

• Cognitive Organization

• Symbolic Rehearsal

• Motor Rehearsal

Motor Reproduction Process

• Physical Capabilities

• Availability of component responses

• Self Observation of reproductions

• Accuracy feedback

Motivational Process

• External Reinforcement

• Vicarious Reinforcement

• Self Reinforcement

Comparative Analysis 0f modelling

• Lower species will learn simple acts through modelling

• Higher species have increasing capability to symbolize experience

Locus of response integration in Observational learning

• New pattern of behaviour are created by organizing responses into certain patterns and sequences

• Response components chained by reinforcement to form more complex units of behaviour

• People guide their actions

Role of Reinforcement on observational learning

• Matching responses must be reinforced in order to be learned (Baer & Sherman, 1964; Miller & Dollard, 1941; Gewirtz & Stingle, 1968)

• Achieved through differential reinforcement

• Imitative behaviour that a person has previously learned can be prompted by actions of others and the prospect of reward

• Occur through symbolic processes during exposure to modelled activities

The Modelling Process and Transmission of response information

• Modelling influences: transmit information to observers

• Conveyed by physical demonstration, pictorial representation or verbal description

Physical demonstration

• Directed observation of behaviour as it is performed by others

Verbal Description

• Preferred mode of response guidance as linguistic skill are developed

• Use extensively: can convey with words an almost infinite variety

Pictorial Representation• The abundant and varied symbolic modelling provided by television, films and other visual media

• It has been shown that both children and adults acquire attitudes, emotional responses and new styles of conduct through filmed and televised modelling (Bandura, 1973; Liebert, Neale & Davidson, 1973)

• Media play an influential role in shaping behaviour and social attitude

• Developments in communication technology will enable people to observe on request almost any desired activity at any time on computer linked television console (Parker, 1970)

Scope Of Modelling Influences

• Modelling can influence, create generative and innovative behaviour

• Through a process of abstract modelling, observers derive the principles underlying specific performances for generating behaviour that goes beyond what they have seen or heard (Bandura, 1971b; Zimmerman & Rosenthal, 1974)

Abstract Modelling

• People observe others performing various performing various responses embodying a certain rule or principle

• Observer must apply what the have learned to new or familiar situations

• Observer extract the common attributes exemplified in diverse modelled responses and formulate rules for regenerating behaviour

• General features can be extracted through repeated exposure

Creative Modelling• Innovative patterns can emerge through modelling process

• Different observers adopt different combinations of characteristics

• Models are unusually productive and observers possess limited skills

Other Modelling

• Modelling influences can strengthen or weaken inhibitions over behaviour that observers have previously learned (Bandura,1971b)

• The actions of others can also serve as social cues for eliciting pre-existing behaviour

• Modelling influences can have additional effect

Diffusion of innovation• Modelling plays a prime role in spreading new ideas and

social practices within society

• Successful diffusion of innovation follows a common pattern:

i. New behaviour is introduced by prominent examples

ii. Adopted at a rapidly accelerating rate

iii.Stabilizes or declines upon its functional value

• Two processes in the social diffusion of innovation:

i. Acquisition of innovative behaviour

ii. Adoption in practice

Acquisition of innovative behaviour

• Modelling serves as the major vehicle for transmitting new styles of behaviour

• Symbolic modelling usually function as the principal conveyance of innovations

Adoptive Behaviour

• Highly susceptible to reinforcement influences

• Depicted as resulting in a host of rewarding effects.

• Partly governed by self-generated consequences to one’s own conduct

Interdependence of Personal and Environmental influences

• The influence exerted by the individual and by his or her behaviour will be designated together as the personal determinant

• Internal personal factors and behaviour operate as reciprocal determinants of each other

• The environment is only potentiality until actualized by appropriate actions

• Behaviour partly determines which of the potential environmental influence

Selective activation of potential influence

• Behavioural and environmental influences affect each other

• The rewards of an environment

• The potential environment is fixed so that behaviour determines only the extent to which it impinges on the organism

Reciprocal Influence and the exercise of self direction

• Freedom is defined in terms of the number of option available to people and the right to exercise them

Constraints On Personal Freedom

• Can be limited in many different ways

• Society must place some limits on conduct

• Legal Prohibition

Freedom and Determinism

• Skills at one’s command and the exercise of self-influence which choice of action require

• Those who have many behavioural options and are adept at regulating their own behaviour will experience greater freedom

Reciprocal Influence and the limits of the social control

• Bearing on the public’s concern that advances in psychological knowledge

• All behaviour is inevitably controlled

• Possible remedies :i. Individual Safeguards

ii. Social Safeguards