Social Learning

The social learning theory of Albert Bandura emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others.

Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences.

Process:

The component processes underlying observational learning are:

(1) Attention, including modeled events (distinctiveness, affective valence, complexity, prevalence, functional value) and observer characteristics (sensory capacities, arousal level, perceptual set, past reinforcement)
(2) Retention, including symbolic coding, cognitive organization, symbolic rehearsal, motor rehearsal)
(3) Motor Reproduction, including physical capabilities, self-observation of reproduction, accuracy of feedback, and
(4) Motivation, including external, vicarious and self reinforcement.

Principles:

1. The highest level of observational learning is achieved by first organizing and rehearsing the modeled behavior symbolically and then enacting it overtly. Codifying model behavior into words, labels or images can result in better retention than simply observing.
2. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if it results in outcomes they value.
3. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior if the model is similar to the observer and has admired status and the behavior has functional value.


Example:

In the on-the-job training setting, a supervisor either explicitly or implicitly shows a new employee a physical task to be replicated for the employee's job performance. Often this physical performance may be quite foreign to the new employee. However, in most cases after a few attempts on the employee's part they are able to complete the task by envisioning the symbolic codes they developed consciously or unconsciously of the earlier observed model performance.

Inference:

In a workplace setting, social learning can be a powerful force to train employees, yet employees can also use social learning to adopt behaviors that may be less than desirable from the employer's perspective. These behaviors could be learned from co-workers who may be admired by the employee but less admired by company management.