Social learning theory

What is social learning theory?

Humans are by nature social animals, so human contact is vital to our development at every stage of our lives. Learning through observation means learning through social interaction. We talk to people, listen to what they have to say, and then aim to use or make sense of what someone is giving us. Social learning theory states that  behavior is learned by observation and by imitating the behavior of others. Social learning theory integrates two of the most prominent ideas in the field of learning: Cognitive  and behavioral learning. Cognitive  learning is also known as psychological learning, while behavioral learning have great impacts on learning in nature. The concept of social learning brings these two approaches together and states that learning takes place within the community. This leads to the idea that new skills or knowledge can only be learned through observation, and that learning within the social environment helps us gain a complete understanding of concepts.

History:

Social learning theory, another educational theory, became advanced and posted in extra ordinary ranges between1934 and 1947.  Albert Bandura the founder of Social Learning Theory proposed it in 1977. He made a series of attempts to determine whether human behavior could be achieved through observation and imitation or not? Based on the results of the Bobo-doll experiment, Bandura established the concept of social learning . The theory was later transformed into a social theory in 1986 which states that learning takes place within a social framework through continuous change and participation in human, environmental, and ethical interactions.

As a learning theory:

People learn by watching. Students can discover new habits and knowledge just by looking at the model. Reinforcement and punishment effects the learning of individuals and their morality. We can predict the future consequences on the basis of given reinforcement or punishment . Mediation processes affect our behavior. Comprehension factors that contribute to the question of whether an action was obtained or not. Reading does not lead to change. Just because someone is learning something does not mean that he will change his behavior. Examples of social learning ideas in everyday life are common, and one of the most obvious is the behavior of children, imitating family members, friends, celebrities and even television actors. If the child sees that there is a reasonable reward for such behavior, he will do it again and again. This crazy behavior is often driven by a desire to be accepted or caught. Children begin to imitate their peers, different celebrities and other prominent people as a way to get popularity and attention from their society. While good manners are imitated, problematic behaviors are also imitated. Learning involves perceptive and extracting data from observations and creating selections regarding behavior (watching or modeling). Thus learning is possible without significant change in behaviour.

Elements of social learning theory:

Attention: The lesson should involve the student enough to get his attention. Retention: Students must be able to remember what they saw or heard. Reproduction : Students should be given time to practice the behavior they observed.  Motivation : The student should be able to see the long-term benefits of the new behavior.

Implications in the classroom :

The concept of social learning can be used to reinforce and teach the values you want in the classroom through positive reinforcement and rewards. For example, a teacher praised a student for raising his hand might not repeat the behavior again. Social learning interventions aim to integrate subject, object and context for student growth; Both cognitive and behavioral skills development. The two most important tools of intervention are the use of modeling and visual modification of student performance. Teachers play an ideal role for their students. The teacher can create flexibility by demonstrating to the learners the desired behavior model so that the learners can imitate the desired behaviors up to a satisfactory skill level. Peer modeling is equally important as an important tool and an effective model for learning. When students see how their peers deal with problems, they tend to imitate them when they are portrayed as successful. Social learned behavior is assessed by engaging students and asking them to describe their level of hard work and the expectations and behaviors associated with it. Performance ads are predictions of their performance levels. For evaluation, comparisons can be made between performance expectations obtained before and after the intervention to determine whether there is an increase or decrease in student performance. From the point of view of social learning theory self-awareness and the concepts of self-reinforcement are important for learning, because these are two ways in which the learner can control his own behavior. A teacher can use social learning theory in his/ her classroom for making his/ her teaching more interesting, long lasting and effective.

Criticism on social learning theory :

Social learning theory defines complex behavior by accepting rational factors and the role they play in deciding whether their behavior should be imitated. However, this has nothing to do with how many types of behavior develop based on thoughts and feelings. We have some measure of control over our behavior, so it doesn't mean that we are reborn in debauchery, like violence, just because we see it. Sociological theory ignores the impact of biodiversity. External links, such as hormones and genes, are in behaviour. It limits human behavior to nature or nurture, rather than recognizing that behavior is a mixture of both biology and nature.