Social Cognitive Theory

Albert Bandura

Social Cognitive Theory

His early work on learning was grounded in the behavioral principles of reinforcement and punishment, but he added a focus on learning from observing others.

This was labeled Social Learning Theory.

Later on, Bandura focused on cognitive factors such as beliefs, self-perceptions, and expectations, his theory is now called Social Cognitive Theory.

Social Cognitive Theory expands social learning theory to include cognitive factors.

The Bobo Doll Study

Preschool children saw a film of a model kicking and punching an inflatable “Bobo doll”

Group 1: saw the model rewarded for the aggression

Group 2: saw the model punished

Group 3 : saw no consequences

The Bobo Doll Study

When they were moved to a room with the Bobo doll

Children who had seen the punching and kicking reinforced on the film were the most aggressive towards the doll

Those who saw the attacks punished were the least aggressive

But when children were promised rewards for imitating the model’s aggression , all of the demonstrated that they had learned the behaviour

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The Bobo Doll

Thus incentives can affect performance. Even though learning may have occurred, it may not be demonstrated until the situation is appropriate or there are incentives to perform

Social Cognitive TheoryEnactive

Learning

is learning by doing and experiencing the consequences of your actions.

Vicarious Learning/ Observational learning

is learning by observing others.

if people can learn by watching, they must be focusing their attention, constructing images, remembering, analyzing, and making decisions that affect learning.

Cognitive Apprenticeships

A relationship in which a less experienced learner acquires knowledge and skills under the guidance of an expert

E.g., mentoring , cross-age grouping, reciprocal teaching, etc.

1. Students observe an expert ( usually the teacher) model the performance.

2. Students get external support through coaching or tutoring ( including hints, feedback, models , and reminders).

3. Students receive conceptual scaffolding, which is then gradually faded as the students becomes more competent and proficient

Cognitive Apprenticeships

4. Students continually articulate their knowledge-putting into words their understanding of the processes and content being learned.

5. Students reflect on their progress, comparing their problem-solving to an expert’s performance and to their earlier performances.

6. Students are required to explore new ways to apply what they are learning.

Elements of Observational Learning

1. Attention In order to learn through observation, we have

to pay attention. In teaching, you will have to ensure students’

attention to the critical features of the lesson by making clear presentations and highlighting important points.

2. Retention In order to imitate the behavior of a model, you

have to remember it. This involves mentally representing the model’s

actions in some way ( as verbal steps or as visual images, or both)

Retention can be improved by mental rehearsal or by actual practice.

Elements of Observational Learning

3. Production Once we “know” how a behavior should look and

remember the elements or steps, we still may not perform it smoothly.

In the production phase, practice makes the behavior smoother and more expert.

4. Motivation and Reinforcement We may acquire a new skill or behavior through

observation, but we may not perform that behavior until there is some motivation or incentive to do so.

If we anticipate being reinforced for imitating the actions of a model, we may be more motivated to pay attention, remember, and reproduce the behaviors.

Forms of Reinforcement

1. The observer may reproduce the behaviors of the model and receive direct reinforcement

2. Vicarious Reinforcement : the observer may simply see others reinforced for a particular behavior and then increase his or her production of that behavior.

3. Self-Reinforcement :controlling your own reinforcers.

This reinforcement is important for both students and teachers.

We want our students to improve not because it leads to external rewards, but because the students value and enjoy their growing competence.

Social Cognitive Theory

Social part Emphasis on the

role of other people serving as models and teachers

Cognitive part It includes

thinking, believing, expecting, anticipating, self-regulating, and making comparisons and judgments.

Social Cognitive Theory

It is a dynamic system that explains human adaptation, learning , and motivation.

It addresses hoe people develop social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural capabilities, how people regulate their own lives, and what motivates them

Triarchic Reciprocal Causality

An explanation of behaviour that emphasises the mutual effects of the individual and the environment on each other

It is the dynamic interplay between three kinds of influences:

Personal : beliefs, expectations, attitudes, and knowledge

Physical & Social environment : resources, consequences of actions, other people, models ,teachers, and physical settings

Behavioral :individual actions, choices, and verbal statements

They all influence and are influenced by each other.

Triarchic Reciprocal Causality

Self- efficacy

Bandura suggests that predictions about possible outcomes of behaviour are critical for learning because they affect goals, efforts, persistence, strategies, and resilience.

“Will I succeed?”“Will I be liked or laughed at?”“Will I be more accepted by teachers

in this new school?”

Self- efficacy

Our beliefs about our personal competence or effectiveness in a given area.

It is future oriented

Self fficacy, Self-concept, and Self-esteem

SELF EFFICACY It is future oriented It focuses on our ability

to successfully accomplish a particular task with no need for comparisons-Weather I can do it.

Strong predictors of behaviour

Context specific i.e. It varies, depending on the subject or task (e.g., my efficacy for singing is low, but i feel confident in my ability to read a map and navigate

SELF CONCEPT It is a more global

construct that contain many perceptions about the self, including self-efficacy

It is developed as a result of external & internal comparisons, using other people or other aspects of the self as frames of reference

Weak predictive power

Self fficacy, Self-concept, and Self-esteem

SELF EFFICACY It is concerned with

judgments of personal competence

It is possible to feel highly efficacious in one area and still not have a high level of self-esteem or vice versa

SELF ESTEEM It is concerned with

judgments of self-worth

E.g, I have a very low self-efficacy for singing, but my self-esteem is not affected, probably because my life does not require singing.

Sources of self-efficacy

Mastery experiences : past successes and failures in similar situations, as perceived by the individual. To increase efficacy, the success must be attributed to the ability, effort, choices, and strategies of the individual-not to luck or extensive help from others.

Vicarious experiences :Seeing other people like you succeed on a task or reach a goal that is similar to the one you face.

Social persuasion : Encouragement, informational feedback, useful guidance from a trusted source.

Physiological arousal :Positive or negative arousal-excitement or a sense of anxiety.

Outcomes of observational learning

DIRECTING ATTENTION : by directing attention we learn about actions and objects involved in the actions.

ENCOURAGING EXISTING BEHAVIOUR : observing the behaviour of others tells us which of our already-learned behaviours to use e.g., what kind of language is appropriate

STRENGTHENING OR WEAKENING INHIBITIONS : if class members witness one student breaking a class rule and getting away with it, they may learn that undesirable consequences do not always follow rule breaking. When the teacher deals effectively with the rule breaker, the idea of breaking this rule may be inhibited for the other students viewing the interaction.

Outcomes of observational learning

TEACHING NEW BEHAVIOUR : Modeling can be used in the classroom to teach a range of behaviours ( pronouncing vocabulary words, teaching new ways of thinking-by thinking out loud, etc)

AROUSING EMOTION : People may develop emotional reactions to situations they have never experienced personally ( e.g., a child who watches a friend fall from a swing and break an arm may become fearful of swings).

Incorporating observational learning into teaching

Model behaviours and attitudes you want your students to learn

-show enthusiasm for the subject you teach-model good problem solving-think out loud as you

work through a difficult problem Use peers as models-in group work, pair students who do well with

those who are having difficulties-ask a well liked student to be friendly to an

isolated, fearful student Make sure students see that positive

behaviours lead to reinforcement for others

-be fair in giving reinforcement