Observational Learning Unit 4 Lesson 3

Objectives: Students will describe components of social learning theory as identified by Bandura. Students will identify factors that affect learning.

Warm Up Using all four principles of operant conditioning, explain how you could get my 5 yr old to eat her broccoli! +R: She can have dessert as soon as she eats her veggies -R: Eat your veggies and you don’t have to finish your chicken (which she hates) (Premack Principle) Pun: Sit at table until gone, yell at for not eating OT: No tv tonight unless you eat veggies

S-A-T How do most children learn new behaviors? Copying

Cognitive Learning Albert Bandura (1925-Present) Mental process involved in learning

Also Known As… Observational Learning Social Learning Watching and imitating behavior of others. Social Learning Observing the social behaviors of others. Observational Learning or social learning is learning that occurs as a function of observing, retaining, and copying behavior observed in others. Can take place at any stage is life, thought to be particularly important in childhood. Influenced debates on the effect of tv violence and parental role models. Different from classical and operant because no change in behavior needs to be observed for learning to have occurred…can simply do something new.

Bandura’s Study Bobo Doll Kids changed behavior w/out rewards or shaping! Took 36 boys, 36 girls from Stanford University Nursery School ages 3-6 (avg 4yrs) One group 24 exposed to aggressive model behavior – divided by sex, average aggression level One group 24 exposed to nonaggressive model behavior – divided by sex, average aggression level Taken individually into room with adult model who either attacked Bobo doll or played nicely with other toys. Then left alone in playroom with same set of toys…sometimes agitated (told certain toys only for certain kids). Kids exposed to violent model were more likely to act in physically aggressive way than those not exposed. Boys were more likely to act aggressively…physical and verbal aggression. Kids influenced by same-sex models…boys copied male models more readily than female models and vice versa Those who didn’t see aggression modeled rarely acted aggressively. There were no rewards for behaviors, they didn’t need to shape behaviors and yet the kids imitated behaviors. 1963 watched on film, modeling less influential on subject than when seen first hand. Click to watch original study footage!

4 Steps of Modeling Attention Retention Imitation/Reproduction Motivation Modeling - Learning thru observing others (models) Attention to the model – a person must pay attention to the person engaging in a certain behavior. We tend to mimic the behavior of those who have characteristics we find attractive or desireable (talent, intelligence, power, good looks, popularity) Retention of details – once attending to the observed behavior, the observer must be able to effectively remember what the model has done Imitation/ Motor Reproduction – observer must be able to replicate the behavior being observed. Can’t juggle effectively by observing if observer can’t perform actions (throw and catch a ball) Motivation and Opportunity – observer must be motivated to carry out the action they have observed and remembered, and must have opportunity to do so.

T-P-S We want to teach our 2 year old to share toys with her older sister, how could we do this through observational/social learning? Model sharing & cooperative behaviors (set table, pass food, make bed, clean up together)

Effects of Social Learning Vicarious Learning Seeing another rewarded or punished influences our behavior Disinhibition Observing others do w/out punishment helps us do it Self-Efficacy Observing others similar to us succeed or fail influences our perceptions of success or failure at same activity.

Part II: Learning Leftovers

Learning Complicated Tasks Shaping Chaining: Responses that follow one another in sequence until no further action is required. Soda from machine Task Analysis- What do you need to know to do/complete a task?

Factors That Affect Learning 1. Feedback Finding out results of action or performance How Affect Learning? If told you’re doing ok, can repeat. If not told, could repeat mistakes.

Factors That Affect Learning 2. Transfer Effects of past learning on ability to learn new things. + Transfer: If old helps you learn new - Transfer: If old gets in way of learning new Thorndike…how individuals transfer learning in one context to another that shared similar characteristics Positive – what is learned in one context helps learning occur in a different setting. Negative – what is learned in one context hinders or delays learning in a different setting

Factors That Affect Learning 3. Practice Repetition of a task, to tie responses together Best over time, not all at once! How Affect Learning? Practice over pd of time, helps learning. Practice all at once (cramming) hinders learning!

Negative Learning Learned Laziness Learned Helplessness If rewards come without effort, person never learns to work. Social Loafing Learned Helplessness If pain/failure comes no matter what, no matter how hard you try, a person gives up. Professor at UPENN, Interest in depression, 1965 studying conditioning in dogs conditioned to associate sound with electric shock…when put in new cage, didn’t try to escape, even thought it had enough time to easily avoid it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFmFOmprTt0

Seligman Studies on Learned Helplessness Pessimistic Explanatory Style: Personal – see selves as problem (internalized) Permanent – see problem as unchangeable Pervasive – see problem affecting all aspects of life If unable to control events in life: Less motivated to act Lowered sense self-esteem Apathy, submission Depression Style: Indicates how people explain (attribute) to themselves why they experience a particular event, either positive (optimistic) or negative (pessimistic). Psychologists have identified three components in explanatory style Ex: Struggle on a math test Personal –Internal: “I’m a failure” vs External: “that was a difficult test” Permanent – Stable: “I such at math I’ll never pass” vs Unstable “I didn’t study for very long or very well, so I’ll do better next time.” Pervasive – Global: “I’m so stupid” vs Local/Specific: “I’m just not great at math, but I rock in English!” Founder of Positive Psychology – Which is what you’ll find him doing now

Positive Psychology