Observational and Social Learning (Week 3)

Observational learning

• learning through the means of observing events and their consequences

• can be deliberate or accidental

Social

Model

Asocial

No model

Model

The person demonstrating a behaviour

Limitations of observational learning

• the act of copying the actions/behaviour of a model

• true

  • duplication of a novel behaviour

• generalised

  • imitation of a new modelled behaviour without specific reinforcement to do so

Variables Affecting observational learning

• Difficulty of task

• Skilled vs unskilled model

• Characteristics of model

• Characteristics of observer

Difficulty of task

the more difficult the task the harder it is to learn through observation

Skilled vs Unskilled Model

• skilful can be more valuable

• but watching someone learn the behaviour is also helpful

Characteristics of model

• Competent

• Attractive

• likeable

• prestigious

• powerful

• popular

Characteristics of observer

• language skills

• past experience

• Age

• Gender

Social learning theory and social cognitive theory (Albert Bandura)

• learning through a social context using the principles of operant and classical contioning

• model and imitation

• Behaviour can be learned without direct reinforcement of punishment

• Interval event → observable behaviour → Environmental events → Interval event

• Self-efficacy

  • confidence in ones own ability to do something

• 4 key processes

  1. Attentional

  2. Retention

  3. Motor Reproductive

  4. Motivational

Operant learning theory

• posits that behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences, involving voluntary actions associated with rewards (reinforcement) or punishment

• a form of vicarious reinforcement, where observers imitate models based on past reinforcement for imitation.

Applications

• Rule governed behaviour

  • Occurs through language

  • rule as a verbal contingency

  • limits

    • experience trumps knowledge from complex skills can be inflexible and persistent

• Personal rules

  • Verbal descriptions or contingencies that we present to ourselves to influence our behaviour

  • say do correspondence

  • specificity and clarity in rules

• Education Social change

• Clinical psychology