Albert Bandura & Social Learning Theory: 4 essential stages of effective learning

Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura is a leading social psychologist, who emphasized the importance of observing and then imitating the behaviors of others in the learning process.

Albert Bandura is most famous for his research work on the aggressive behavior of children. He observed in his experiments that children observe their parents’ aggressive behavior, their body language, and their tone, and then imitate this behavior with their dolls, toys, etc. This research resulted in a theory where Albert Bandura explains how children learn through observing and imitating behavior.

According to this theory, instead of learning through direct experiences, learning based on indirect experiences is a learning process in which the learner learns more efficiently. For example, observational learning is a learning process where the child observes behavior and imitates it whenever needed.

Model: The person whose behavior is imitated is called a model. That’s why the observational learning done by imitating the behavior of a model is called modeling.

Story of observed Learning

We can understand this with the story of a 6-year-old boy who saw his father become angry on the phone and punch the door in anger. The child observed it. After a few days, when the child asked for more chocolates and his mother denied him, he punched the floor in anger. His father saw that and realized how his child had imitated him.

Thoughts of Bandura

According to social psychologists, whatever an individual learns, most of it is learned by seeing, hearing, and understanding others. Unlike Skinner, Albert Bandura believes that humans are active information processors and think about the relationship between behavior and its consequences before imitating it.

According to social learning theory of Albert Bandura, individuals observe the behavior of people present in their social environment, accept them as models, and incorporate their behavior into their own behavior, imitating them.

Albert Bandura identified four steps or processes of social learning.

The four steps of social learning:

1. Attending to and perceiving the behavior:

In the first stage, the learner or person observes the behavior of a model they are attracted to. The process of observation depends on the learner’s attention. The more focused they are, the more they will perceive. For example, you watch a food channel where a dish’s preparation is described in a TV program.

Not everything observed is necessarily learned. [1]

Sometimes we observe people but do not imitate them. We watch characters in TV serials, movies, or cartoons primarily for entertainment purposes and do not imitate them in real life.

2. Retention (Remembering):

This is the second stage of social learning theory by Albert Bandura. The observed behavior is retained in the brain in the form of memory. Whatever we observe, we retain in our brain for future use.

For example, the recipe of the dish remains in your memory, and you memorize the entire recipe.

Here, retention power is crucial for observation because if any step or sequence is mixed up, the entire observation process fails. Therefore, retaining the actual sequence of observed behavior is essential.

3. Memory to Action (Reproduction):

This is the third step in social learning theory of Albert Bandura. At this stage, the person converts the observed behavior into action by recalling the stored memory. We recall the observed behavior and convert it into actions. For example, we recall all the steps for preparing the dish and make it the same as shown earlier in the program.

According to Albert Bandura, this step is also crucial because retained behavior would fade if not used or recalled. Individuals have two types of memory: short-term memory and long-term memory. Whatever we observe is first stored in short-term memory, but to transfer it to long-term memory, it’s essential to recall it from time to time; otherwise, it will disappear.

4. Reinforcement:

The last stage is reinforcement of the imitated behavior. In this stage, the model receives reinforcement or motivation to continue the imitated behavior. The entire learning process depends on the feedback received after imitating the observed behavior.

For example, if the dish we made tastes good, we’ll be motivated to learn more recipes. However, if the taste isn’t satisfactory, we might ignore food channels in the future and become demotivated.

The repetition of learned behavior depends on the reinforcement received.

Reinforcement in the previous story

If a child’s father scolds him for being aggressive and punching the floor, he may avoid repeating this behavior. However, he might repeat it when his parents aren’t around.

Alternatively, if the father calmly discusses the behavior and its consequences, the child is less likely to repeat it.

In another scenario, if the father praises his son for showing anger similarly, the child will feel motivated and may frequently exhibit aggressive behavior towards toys and eventually people over time.

Educational Implications:

1. Lead by Example: Teachers should show students the behavior and values they want them to follow.
2. Show and Tell: Use videos, demos, and real-life examples to help students learn.
3. Positive Feedback: Praise students when they do well to encourage good behavior.
4. Create a Supportive Classroom: Make sure students feel safe and supported.
5. Get Students Involved: Encourage students to take an active role in learning.
6. Be Mindful of Your Actions: Teachers should avoid showing behavior they don’t want students to imitate.
7. Teach Self-Control: Help students learn to manage their own learning and behavior.
8. Learn from Others: Use stories and guest speakers to illustrate important concepts.
9. Regular Feedback: Give students feedback to help them improve.
10. Tailor Your Teaching: Recognize individual differences and adapt your teaching

Teacher’s roles in encouraging social learning:-

• Model Desired Behavior: Teachers should demonstrate the behavior, values, and attitudes they want students to adopt.
• Provide Observational Learning Opportunities: Teachers should use demonstrations, videos, and real-life examples to facilitate observational learning.
• Reinforce Positive Behavior: Teachers should praise and reward positive behavior to encourage repetition.
• Encourage Active Participation: Teachers should involve students in learning processes, encouraging them to take an active role in exploring and discovering concepts.
• Offer Constructive Feedback: Teachers should provide regular, specific feedback to help students adjust their behavior and learning strategies.