Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory emphasizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Thus it focuses on learning by observation and modeling. The theory originally evolved from behaviorism but now includes many of the ideas that cognitivists also hold; as a result it is some times called social cognitive learning.
Social learning theory talks about how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior. It focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling (Abbott, 2007).
Albert Bandura
Albert Bandura was born on December 4, 1925, in the small town of Mundare in northern Alberta, Canada. His father was from Poland and mother from the Ukraine. He was educated in a small elementary school and the only one high school (20 students and 2 teachers) in town, with minimal resources, yet a remarkable success rate.
During summer vacations he worked in several places acquiring carpentry in Edmonton skills and filling holes protecting the Alaskan Highway in the Yukon. While, dealing with lot of people and a horrifying encounter with bears, he developed appreciation for psychopathology of everyday life.
In search of understanding human nature he received his bachelors’ degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in 1949. He went on to the University of Iowa, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1952. It was there that he came under the influence of the behaviorist tradition and learning theory.
While at Iowa, he met Virginia Varns, an instructor in the nursing school. They married in 1952 and later had two daughters, Mary (1954) and Carol (1958). After graduating, he took a postdoctoral position at the Wichita Guidance Center in Wichita, Kansas.
In 1953, he started teaching at Stanford University, and became full professor as well. While there, he collaborated with his first graduate student, Richard Walters, resulting in their first book, Adolescent Aggression, in 1959. He became the president of the American Psychology Association (APA) in 1973, and received the APA’s Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions in 1980.
At 80 years of age, Professor Bandura continues to research and teach at Stanford University to this day.
During summer vacations he worked in several places acquiring carpentry in Edmonton skills and filling holes protecting the Alaskan Highway in the Yukon. While, dealing with lot of people and a horrifying encounter with bears, he developed appreciation for psychopathology of everyday life.
In search of understanding human nature he received his bachelors’ degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in 1949. He went on to the University of Iowa, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1952. It was there that he came under the influence of the behaviorist tradition and learning theory.
While at Iowa, he met Virginia Varns, an instructor in the nursing school. They married in 1952 and later had two daughters, Mary (1954) and Carol (1958). After graduating, he took a postdoctoral position at the Wichita Guidance Center in Wichita, Kansas.
In 1953, he started teaching at Stanford University, and became full professor as well. While there, he collaborated with his first graduate student, Richard Walters, resulting in their first book, Adolescent Aggression, in 1959. He became the president of the American Psychology Association (APA) in 1973, and received the APA’s Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions in 1980.
At 80 years of age, Professor Bandura continues to research and teach at Stanford University to this day.
No comments:
Post a Comment