Observational Learning

1. Observational Learning

2. Modelling • Observational learning is highly adaptive • Important learning you don’t want to have to figure out by trial and error • Where to find food and what to eat, who or what to be afraid of, what behaviour will cause negative or positive consequences, - how to do brain surgery! • Humans are better at this than other organisms

3. Observing the behaviour of a model • Apprenticeship; behaviour is modelled • Skill acquisition (we learn things) • Teachers • Parents • Peers • Coaches • Elders

4. Observation teaches attitudes and social behaviours • Fears, prejudices, likes and dislikes, social behaviours • Desirable or undesirable behaviours, depending on the models

5. Positive Role Models Pro-social (good for society; contributing to general well-being of self and others) Empathetic Involved Caring Problem-solving Assertive Negative Role Models Antisocial (criminal, problem-causing, negative, destructive to self and others) Prejudiced Judgmental Aggressive and violent Blind Obedience Through observation we learn from:

6. Steps in Observational Learning • Attention – must pay attention to the model • Retention – must remember so we can recall how to do it later • Reproduction – must be physically capable of reproducing the behaviour • Motivation –We may not repeat the behaviour if we don’t like the consequences • If we don’t repeat the behaviour, it doesn’t mean we haven’t learned it. • Read Bandura’s study, p. 289, and the consequences

7. Real-life implications • Do we learn from media violence?