Analysis of the Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura - Essay Example

? Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura The paper will analyze the learning theory, social learning theory by Albert Bandura, analysis of its application, implication, strengths, weaknesses and its significance in behavioral learning. Emphasis normally laid on the change of behavior because of acquisition of concepts related to social learning theories. Leaning activities would be significantly a laborious activity, and hazardous, in case individuals were to rely on their own effects caused by the actions they engage in the course of performing their duties. The behaviors acquired by individuals usually learned to use observation through modeling. People observe other people’s actions and activities, and then the behaviors performed. Resulting to coding of information, this serves as a guide for their actions. Learning, therefore, becomes the critical issue to be considered. Realization of effective learning has been made possible through the availability of learning theories. Learning theories are framework describing different ways of absorbing information, processing, and how this information is normally retained during the process of learning. Learning is significant in bringing out cognitive, environmental influences, emotional and experience for acquiring different qualities. These qualities include values; effecting changes in the individual’s knowledge and how they view the world learning theories have of significance in the definition of personal philosophies especially to teachers. Learning theories normally categorized into different categories, which include behaviorism, constructivism and cognitive. Behaviorism learning put emphasis on aspects, which can be observed, cognitive learning, on the other hand, cognitive learning theories not only looks at the observable behaviors, but also tries to explain learning, which are mainly becoming brain-based. Constructivism, however, looks learning as a process where the learner builds new concepts and ideas. Albert Bandura is one of the known theorists who contributed significantly in learning theories; he came up with the social learning theory (McLeod, 2011). The social learning theory is a class of behaviorism theory; the theory is most significant in criminology. Albert Bandura believed that aggression in learning, which normally learned through behavior modeling. The theorist hold a believe that violent tendencies by individuals usually not inherited but rather modeled through various principles. He argued that persons acquire responses through observing other people’s behavior, by means of media, environment or observing personally. He then stated that individuals holds a believe that aggression mainly accompanied by reinforcements. The reinforcements usually formulated into tension reduction, building of self-esteem, acquiring financial rewards and gaining praise from others. Albert Bandura in his Bobo doll experiment, find out how children would imitate the adults when they are aggressive when they gain rewards, his interest was largely in development of a child. He believed that early diagnosis of aggression in children would lead to children reframing from becoming adult criminals. He then argued children aggression normally influenced by the reinforcement they acquire from their family members, environment and the media. Albert Bandura’s experiment, the Bobo doll experiment, t is significant because it triggers several studies to be conducted concerning the effects of social learning theory. The topic was significant in that it will determine the extent of aggression among children, in relation to observational learning. Albert Bandura the father of social learning theory was born in 1925, in Mundare Canada. In his early stages of life, Bandura was raised in a small farming community, in his hometown, in Canada. In 1949, Bandura received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Colombia he also obtains his Ph.D in 1952 from the University of Iowa (McLeod, 2011). It was during his studies at the University of Iowa that he developed social learning theory. During this period, Bandura develop a believe that psychologists need to conceptualize clinical phenomena in a way that would expose them to experimental tests as a way of learning (McLeod, 2011). Bandura had a believe concerning need for psychological research as a way of controlling factors that would determine their behavior. Bandura became a professor of psychology in 1953 at the University of Standford. His fellow psychologists have awarded him many honors and awards. His outstanding achievement was in 1972, after receiving two awards, a distinguished achievement award, which was awarded by the American Psychological Association and another one from the California State Psychological Association, where they award him a Scientist Award. American Psychological Association elected him as president in 1972. He acquired the title of being the Father of the Cognitive Theory in 1977. Later in 1980, Bandura elected by the Western Psychological Association in 1980, and in the following year, he got absorbed by the Institute of Medicine of National Academy of Sciences. He is known for his influential work of writing books and several articles, which are of significance in psychological research. His first book was in 1959 the book was called Adolescent Aggression, he later wrote the book Aggression: A Social Learning Analysis in 1973. Bandura concentrated in writing about social learning in almost all his books and articles. One of his widely known books “Social Learning Theory”, which is most relevant in aggression and deviance determination by psychologists doing research; this has made his writing work famous in the field of psychology. He holds a strong believes that reinforcement of aggression by family members is the significant source of behavior modeling. He pointed that when children are dealing with others, they use aggressive tactics similar to that of their parents. His interest in children aggression started while he was still a student at Iowa (McLeod, 2011). Albert Bandura has been known for years for the contribution he has, in social learning theory; he is regarded as the founder of the theory. The social learning theory is known to be the most in influential learning and development theory. The theory holds a perspective that people learn and adopts behaviors while, in a social context, the theory is bringing into reality through several concepts of learning this include modeling and observational learning. His strong believe in traditional learning theories made him conclude that direct reinforcement was not the only reason for the available types of learning. The theory became a contributor in social elements believing that individuals acquire new information, and acquires behaviors by watching what other a person engages. This learning normally known as observational learning and it is used in explaining the cause of behavioral change (McLeod, 2011). The theory points out the significance of models in acting as a source for acquisition of new behaviors and achievement of behavioral change mainly in an institutionalized setting. Albert Bandura, proposed the three models, which observational learning occur. These models are the live model, verbal instruction and symbolic. Live model involves demonstration of the desired behavior by the actual person, rather than using the second or the third person. Symbolic, on the other hand, involves the use of media as a source of modeling; the media used include movies, radio, television and internet, the modeling in this case usually achieved by use of real character in behavior demonstration. Verbal instructions entail the use of individual in describing the desired behavior, the description of behavior based on real facts the participants then instructed to engage in the desired behavior. Bandura in his theory put a lot of concern on reciprocal determination. The view emphasized that the environment and individual characteristics influences ones behavior. The theory has three concepts the concepts are at the heart of the theory. The first concept is that people can carry out learning through observation, by observing the happenings in the surroundings. The second concept is the fact that the internal mental situations of an individual form the basis of the learning process. Finally, the theory also recognizes that the fact that an event or a concept learnt do not necessarily result in behavioral change, there are other factors influencing the process. Bandura’s concept of people learning through demonstration usually best illustrated using his Bobo doll experiment; he demonstrated the fact that children can attain learning through imitation of behaviors observed in others. In his studies, children normally left to observe an adult who acted violently and rudely to the doll. Children portrayed the imitated behavior later when left alone in the room with the doll they will start acting violently towards the Bobo doll. The act was the result of the imitated aggressive behavior previously observed from the way the adults could act. In the Bobo doll experiment, Bandura identified essential models of observational learning; he categorized the models into three, a live model, verbal instructional model and a symbolic model, which he used it to form the basis of his theory. His second concept of his theory concerning the importance of mental state in learning is significant as it results to intrinsic reinforcement. He identified the fact that other factors apart from the external environment and its reinforcement have influence on learning and behavior. Intrinsic reinforcement was a reason of aspects such as a sense of accomplishment pride and satisfaction was a result of internal rewards. Connection of learning theories and cognitive development theories made possible and into reality by the fact that emphasis then laid on cognitions and internal thoughts. Modeling process, which forms the basis of the theory involved several steps attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. The theory pointed out that for learning to take place, individuals need to pay attention to critical characteristics and features of the behavior to be modeled. Attention is the first step in observational learning. Learning cannot take place just by observation; individuals should thus perceive and pay attention to the characteristics and features of the behavior to be modeled. For example, attention of the children to the significant features of aggressive adults is significant in reproducing the modeled behavior. Children witnessed the insulation and abuse of the Bobo doll both physically and verbally by the models. Retention being the next step in observational learning is significant in learning the modeled behavior. Retention of learned information and details of behavior is essential for later reproduction of the desired behavior. Coding of information by individuals is essential in reproduction of the modeled behavior; information should thus be coded in the long-term memory. The coded information will be retrieval; retention then evidenced when there is a verbal description of the nature of the modeled behavior. Cognitive process, which is the memory, is significant and helps coding and retrieval of information by the observer. For example, children in the Bobo doll experiment managed to imitate the aggressive behavior in the video. Hitting the Bobo doll aggressively was a result of the coded and stored information in the memory. Another significant process in observational learning is the motor reproduction. This is achieved when the observer reproduces the modeled behavior. Behavior reproduction becomes a significant step in the modeling process, it is significant for an individual to organize the responses in relation to the modeled behavior, and the reproduction process normally improved when practice is done. It is crucial for the observer to learn the physical competence of the modeled behavior. Having successfully learned through attention and retention, observers must have capabilities, which enable him/her to reproduce the act of aggression. In the Bobo doll experiment, the children possess the physical capabilities when they hit the doll. Motivation is the last, but significant step in the modeling process, motivation should be put in place during reproduction of the desired behavior. Engagement of the behavior will not be possible in the absence of motivation. In motivation process, there are expectations by the observer in receiving positive reinforcements. For example in the Bobo doll experiment, the children witnessed reward for aggression of the adults they, in turn opt to repeat the act with an intention of achieving the rewards. The Bobo doll experiment was significant to Bandura in theorizing the fact that, “As children continue to age, the experience still affected their personality, turning them into violent adults” (McLeod, 2011). Reinforcement and punishment are key players in motivation; it plays a significant role in motivating individuals towards the acquisition of the modeled behavior. Experience from these motivators is effective in observing the types of reinforcement or punishment to be put in place, in a school situation it is usually seen when students put extra effort adopt a desirable behavior on seeing another student being rewarded. Bandura in his theory holds a strong believe in reciprocal determinism, it shows that the world and the behavior acquired by a person normally related. Essentially, behaviorism stated the effect and influence of environment on one’s behavior Bandura, however; while studying aggression among adolescence he found out the process to be too simplistic. He also suggested on the environmental causes and influence on behaviors. Bandura then considered personality and its interaction with the three components; the components include psychological processes, environment and behavior in the effort of effecting learning processes. Albert Bandura using his social learning theory is regarded as the leading motivator. His foremost concern was the influence of cognitive factors in development; he achieved this by confining the approach to the behavioral tradition. He holds a believe that learning process are responsible for learning processes that usually relates to children’s development, and that cognitive development was not sufficient in explaining behavioral changes during childhood. Albert Bandura’s theory of social learning is relevant in the classroom in the world we live in today; teachers will be in a position to teach social skills. This teaching of social skills starts with modeling of the teacher; students will pay close attention on how the teacher acts and imitate these behaviors in various ways. The theorists brought the theory into realization and portray the significance of the theory in education; this is a significant to the work of the teachers. Children will imitate adults in the way they behave; the best illustrated in Bandura’s experiment of Bobo doll, where children will imitate aggressive behavior from their adults. The theory is significant for the student when learning since they can learn the desired behaviors through observation of behaviors and discussion of its outcomes teachers, therefore, will use this theory following the available behavioral intervention plan. Bandura’s theory also has a variety of uses like use by the teachers during conversation modeling and utilized by the students regulating their conversation and behaviors, if desired behavior is to be realized. Social discourse occur normally occur in a classroom setting these discourses affects classroom communication, which is the basis of classroom teaching methods. It also affects peer interaction in playgrounds. Successful interaction of classroom performance as supported by conversational knowledge, situational specific, non-verbal communication, classroom language and pragmatic language structure. All these system have contributed significantly in learning these has been made possible by adoption of Bandura’s social learning theory. Classroom language forms part of social interaction, normally occurring between students and the teacher. It is crucial for students to posses skills related to content-specific conversation if they are to participate effectively and successfully in discussions within the classroom. Effective use of classroom language implies that the students are in a position to utilize and understand the situations they are. The implication is that the students can fit in the available conversation patterns effectively, despite varying circumstances and situations. Social learning theory is thus effective in learning, which normally made possible through teacher modeling, as a basis of adjusting to different behavioral changes. The theory has had significance in the psychological field; the theory saw its introduction as a teacher-driven where information usually expressed in lectures. The theory is used in the modern classroom by teacher’s employing the approach, which is workshop-based into learning amounting to techniques of social learning. The theory has also been directly utilized in situations where there is aggression and in treating problems related to behavioral issues and the factors affecting, this shows significance of modeling in learning. Modeling as one of the components of Bandura’s theory provides an option for equipping students with new behaviors. Modeling has been used to substitute shaping, which is the basis of operant conditioning. Modeling is significant in that it acts as a source of fast and efficient means for teaching and equipping learners with new behaviors. With this theory, learning can occur through the efforts of the teacher to employ the four conditions of learning are put in place; attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation, and utilized in the effort of effecting learning. The theory utilizes self-regulation techniques, which are effective in behavioral improvement thus learning process improved. The theory, however, has several criticism, the theories’ idea that persons particularly children imitate the observed, model behavior; this normally achieved through observing others, media and the environment. Biological theorists have argued against the theory that the theory does not put into consideration the biological state of an individual. They also pointed out that Bandura’s theory rejects individual’s differences, resulting from genetic, brain and learning differences (McLeod, 2011). Example is when an individual witnessed the act of violent murder; there are different responses among individuals. Biological theorists have a believe that these responses are usually normal as they are from autonomic nervous system. In this system, normal symptoms of responses expressed by an individual in any given situation include fainting, increase blood pressure, nausea and the heart rate. From this, it can be concluded that these symptoms and behaviors partially inherited rather than learned. Classical learning has also been seen to reject learning theories like classical and operant conditioning processes. The theory ignores the significance of brain in information processing of the individual from the social environment, which is the role of biological preparedness of individual’s urge to learn the theory thus become insignificant in accounting these processes. Social reinforcement the basis of conditional reinforcement, which is usually based on the relationship of the conditioned stimulus to an unconditioned stimulus (McLeod, 2011). Bandura’s experiment of the Bobo doll faces a lot of criticism the critics pointed out that the children used in the experiment had undergo manipulation on how to respond to the aggressive movie they got exposed. The children were also mocked hence resulting to being frustrated since they were not given an opportunity of touching the toys. Many of its critics have seen the conduction of the experiment as unethical way its undertakings, was morally wrong since children underwent an aggressive training. The methods imposed in the experiment had long-term effects on children and their behavior because of the violence exposed. Following Bandura’s theory, other social learning theorist’s have shown their stand on the fact that crime has a direct link with learning of the values and aggressive behaviors, which are normally linked with criminality. Bandura’s theory has had enormous significance in making the public and political affairs appreciate the fact that violence is the sole cause of acquisition of aggression among the children. Bandura pointed out the contribution of media and other social media in causing aggression particularly in children. These have caused governments of different countries and states to implement laws and policies that will discourage violence in media, especially on televisions. Albert Bandura believed that family member’s reinforcement of aggression was the most significant cause of behavior modeling. He concludes that children copy the aggressive behaviors portrayed by their parents as they are dealing with others. Bandura puts forward that diagnosis of the problem should be treated early during childhood of the individual. Many debates concerning the effects on violence on media on behavior in children, whether it causes aggression. Several studies show that aggressive behavior is not caused by the violence on television, research by psychologist’s shows that children illustrated aggressive behavior because of the effects of watching violent cartoons on the television. The public holds a different view concerning the effects of children viewing cartoons on children they pointed out that these children watch the program for fun. It is the responsibility of parents to make the children aware about the cartoons; they should know that they are not real people. Bandura’s social learning theory play a significant role in influencing other psychologists, the theory has been used in the field of education as it has significant implication in the field and its learning processes (McLeod, 2011). In the current society, teachers and parents have put consideration on the significance of appropriate behavioral modeling. The theory has found its importance in learning strategies such as giving encouragement to children and in self-efficacy building. Social learning theory in many cases have been considered as a bridge linking two theories of behaviorist and cognitive learning the theory encompasses three components motivation, attention and memory. The theory, however, do not work in isolation, it has a close relation with the works of other theorist’s, Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory and Lave’s Situated Learning theory. These theories lay a lot of emphasis on the significance of social learning. Bandura’s theory of social learning theory has significantly contributed in adult learners they will learn through observation hence acquiring the desired behavior significant in learning; adults will acquire the observed behaviors. These behaviors form the basis of learning and behavioral modification among adults and children. The theory like any other work has strengths and weaknesses. The theory provides an accurate reflection on how behaviors are learned; children imitate behaviors from the adults. The acquired behaviors, which are normally the desired behaviors, acts as a source of satisfaction among the groups of individuals. Another strength of the theory is the ability to display cognitive elements of the behavior the theory is significant in the provision of approaches related to learning and cognitive development. This has been a crucial tool in behavior development and modification. The theory has been seen to be capable of handling variations in the behavior of the children, it was found that children while at school reinforced, they behave well at school. The theory suggests that when individuals are given the appropriate environment to learn, behavioral change is observed this is the profound strength of the theory. The profound weakness of the theory is the fact that it does not put emphasis on the child’s actions on the acquired information it, in place, laid emphasis on events, which happens to the child. The theory does not put into consideration the development aspects, physical and mental occurring in the course of child maturity. Bandura’s theory deals with both behaviors and educational implications, which are effective in classroom communication. The theory has managed to achieve the set goals and objectives in the learning process. Various aspects of the theory are significant in ensuring that learning outcomes are reflected in behavioral changes, and how individuals carry themselves, Bandura was consistent in his behavioral theory, and points out that behavior modeling is significant in these behavioral aspects. Reference McLeod, S. (2011). Albert Bandura | Social Learning Theory. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html Read More