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Observational & Social Learning: How do we learn from others?

Observational & Social Learning: How do we learn from others?. 10/06/10. Main Points. We learn by passing along information with others (mostly within our culture) Many behaviors can be learned very easily by watching others (models) engage in behaviors We learn to imitate

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Observational & Social Learning: How do we learn from others?

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  1. Observational & Social Learning:How do we learn from others? 10/06/10

  2. Main Points • We learn by passing along information with others (mostly within our culture) • Many behaviors can be learned very easily by watching others (models) engage in behaviors • We learn to imitate • Just because we learn a behavior observationally or socially, does not mean we will necessarily engage in that behavior.

  3. Social learning by the spread of information… • One way learning occurs is through the spread of information within a culture… • Knowledge that gets selected and spread within a culture is a meme. • Similar to genes, b/c individuals within a culture selectively spread information (genes are selectively spread too) • Dissimilar though b/c memes can spread much more quickly, and die out much more quickly

  4. How do memes get spread? • Word of mouth, speech • Writings (in books, electronically, etc) • By seeing other people actively using that cultural information

  5. Still not sure what a meme is… • You’re probably already familiar with some and just don’t know it... • Some more permanent ones (cultural knowledge that has been passed on for generations) • Examples?

  6. Some less permanent memes… • Popular fads • Examples? • May seem inconsequential b/c these things change all the time • But, these cultural bits of knowledge let individuals learn important social information, even if they are not permanent

  7. Knowledge can spread even more rapidly within a culture…. • Thanks to the Internet! • Cheap, efficient way to spread social information to lots of people at one time… • Internet memes can spread fast, and die out quick (or can be relatively permanent) • Can also go through mutations (people make their own versions of the internet meme before sending it out)

  8. So why are memes important? • Memes (especially internet memes) do not always teach us information necessary for survival • Sometimes can simply inform us of what is socially acceptable • Sometimes they simply inform us of what emotions or feelings we should experience… • Example?

  9. So now we know that we learn from information that is shared socially within cultures… • How else can we learn socially?

  10. Monkey see, monkey do? • We learn many behaviors by watching others (observation) • Examples?

  11. How do you get kids to beat up a doll?

  12. Bandura’s observational research • Teach them by showing them! • Albert Bandura – social learning theory • Give children a model for a behavior, and they may imitate • Showed some children video with an adult beating up Bobo • Showed some children video with an adult playing quietly w/Bobo • Those who witnessed adults beating up Bobo, were more likely to do the same

  13. Seems pretty obvious…why should we care? • This social learning occurs within very short time frame • Once learned, this behavior can be remembered and recalled very easily • Increases the chance of engaging in this behavior

  14. Media & Learning • Media can also provide models of behavior, and we can learn from this (especially children) • A big controversy is: Does violent media teach aggression? • Well, the overall converging (culmination of research findings) suggests… • Yes, violent media can lead to violent behavior.

  15. Violent media has been found to predict… • Short & long term violence & aggression • Violent behavior later in life (adulthood) • Less self-control • Desensitization • after a while we get used to violence • Excitation transfer • violent media can increase level of arousal, and we might misattribute it to something else…

  16. We talked about the bad side of observational learning. Is there any good? • Yes… • Vicarious reinforcement • If we learn that there is a punishment involved with a behavior, we’re less likely to engage in it • Just because we learn something, does not mean we will do it… • And, just like learning potentially negative behaviors, we can learn positive ones the same way

  17. So the better phrase might be… • Monkey sees, monkey sometimes do • Can you think of reasons that we would be less likely to engage in behaviors that we learn by observation?

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