Unit 3.9 Social, Cognitive, and Neurological Factors in Learning

Social Learning Theory

A concept developed by Albert Bandura that suggests people learn behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions through observation, imitation, and modeling from others, particularly in a social context.

Observational Learning

A process where individuals learn by watching and imitating others. It emphasizes the influence of models in acquiring new behaviors.

Vicarious Conditioning

A learning process where individuals learn through the observation of others' experiences and the outcomes of their actions. This includes emotional responses that are conditioned by observing the reactions of others.

Modeling

The process of imitating specific behaviors exhibited by a model, which plays a crucial role in social learning and skill acquisition.

Insight Learning

A type of learning that occurs when an organism suddenly realizes how to solve a problem, often without trial-and-error processes. It involves an in-depth understanding of the problem and its solution.

Latent Learning

A type of learning that occurs without any obvious reinforcement or immediate demonstration of knowledge, often revealed when a reward is presented.

Cognitive Maps

Mental representations of physical locations or environments that help individuals navigate and understand spatial relationships.