Assignment - Admission/Application Essay Example

Observational (Social) Learning Option 3 Observational Learning Definition Observational learning, which is also known as social learning or modeling, is the kind of learning where one would learn or acquire knowledge through watching another person perform that behavior. In this kind of learning, we have the person performing the observation referred to as a model, while the learner being referred to as the observer. This idea was first put forward by a psychologist referred to as Albert Bandura.

Bandura published an important study, on which he demonstrated that children can become violent when they watch demonstrations containing violent plays. In such kind of learning, it is important to note that behavioral changes are acquired, meaning, an observer can either take up or stop a behavior. This will depend on how the behavior shall be presented and the outcome change shall be retained (Gillian, 2010).Examples of observational learning in everyday’s life include: when children watch a behavior, considering whether the behavior is positive or negative, and how the behavior is presented, they tend to either acquire the behavior or stop it.

For instance, when a child observes another child being praised for having done something, they tend to take up the behavior for which the other child is being praised. On the other hand, when a child observes another child being punished for a wrong doing, there is a high possibility that the child will also try to stop the bad behavior for which the other child is being punished. Likewise, when children observe their teacher kicking a doll during a learning session, for a demonstration, there is a tendency that they will pick up that behavior and begin kicking dolls also.

Three major factors have been identified to influence the likelihood that observational learning will occur, these factors include: the similarity of the used model to the observer, how prestige the model is, and the ability of the learner to observe the behavior to be imitated. Bandura explained that an observer will be more likely to acquire a behavior from a model perceived to be more similar to the observer. This similarity normally becomes very important when the observer feel they have little information about the functional value of the modeled behavior.

For instance, a young boy who feels that he is similar to President Obama is more likely to imitate and watch what the president does most of the time in TV and try to be like him. On to the second point, most people tend to observe a model that is perceived as prestigious. Just as in similarity, the degree of prestige will be determined in the observer’s mind. This is because, a young child might view someone has prestigious, but this might be different from how the same person is viewed by a parent or a teacher.

On to the last point of ability to observe, it is true that behaviors that are more likely to be observed can easily be acquired or imitated. To increase the ability to observe a behavior, one can combine the use of written instructions and visually modeled instructions, use slow motion, videotaped replays, and verbalization (Vockell, 2012). ReferencesGillian, F. (2010). Observational Learning. PsychCentral , 1.Vockell. (2012). Observational Learning. Learning byWatching , 1-6.