Social Learning Theory and Role Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social Learning Theory and Role Model - Essay Example The outcome of the experiment was that children imitated what was done on the doll (hitting, punching, shouting at it) without waiting first for any reward approximated to the person in the experiment initially hitting it. This is where social learning theory was derived, which is an observational learning or modeling (ibid). Social learning suggests that both the environment and psychological factors create a kind of behavior, which an individual acts upon. It outlines four steps, which are involved in the modeling process: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. With the social learning theory, Bandura goes on to say that individuals, especially children, learn and act according to what they see in the environment, which are basically based on imitation. They act what they see and are socialized within that system, which pursues such behavior. It is then significant to point out that since children imitate values, actions, and social behavior modeled to them, it is then better that these actions and values are good and correct in order for them to act as good and valuable social beings. Even though Bandura claims that an individual learns behavior from his environment coupled with some psychological factors that trigger such behavior, a particular behavior does not always result in remodeling. This is due to the presence of punishments, which could be past, promised (e.g. threats), or vicarious (Boeree 1998). The social learning theory has a continuous reciprocal interaction among behavioral, cognitive, a and environmental influences. It has extensively been applied to understanding aggressive behaviors and how an individual may be influenced to trail the path of aggression. It also received a fair degree of attention on psychological disorder, specifically on the context of behavior modification (Bandura 1969). Television commercials and computer games are few of the most