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<\/figure>\n\u201cSelf-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure.\u201d<\/em> (Albert Bandura)<\/p>\n Those who are new to social learning theory might not make the immediate connection to an individual\u2019s beliefs about their own abilities; however, self-efficacy is a core tenet of Albert Bandura\u2019s social learning theory. In this segment of learning theories, we are performing a deep dive into psychologist Albert Bandura, his contributions to social learning theory, how his ideas have evolved, and how teachers can capitalize on social learning theory to increase achievement and other positive outcomes for students in the classroom.<\/p>\n Albert Bandura was born in Canada in 1925 to immigrant parents of Polish and Ukrainian descent. He obtained his bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and doctorate degrees in psychology before he was hired as a professor at Stanford University in California. There, Bandura\u2019s research honed in on the gaps of existing social and behavioral learning theories by figures like B.F. Skinner, which did not consider the potential influence of social variables in the acquisition of new learning and responses.<\/p>\n Bandura is best known, perhaps, for the \u2018Bobo doll\u2019 experiment. In this study, researchers abused a doll\u2013both physically and verbally\u2013while pre-school-aged children observed. Later on, the children mimicked the behavior of the researchers, proving Bandura\u2019s hypothesis that children can learn through adults\u2019 behaviors. Bandura\u2019s findings led him to develop what was first termed \u2018social learning theory\u2019 in the 1960s.<\/p>\n As it was originally explained in 1963, social learning theory aligned mostly with previous behavioral theories\u2013the novel component was its emphasis on imitation in learning. It stated the following:<\/p>\n In other words, monkey see, monkey do (or do not\u2026).<\/p>\n Over time, Bandura\u2019s social learning theory moved away from the behavioral end of the spectrum and closer to the cognitive end. He published a significant revision to his theory in 1977, which included the concept of self-efficacy at the core of its theoretical framework. In this revision, individual choices, effort, and feelings about those choices are affected by their beliefs about their own abilities to perform certain behaviors to achieve certain outcomes. Bandura was the first person to make this connection, and the main pillars of social learning theory were revised to make the following arguments:<\/p>\n Here, we can connect Bandura\u2019s evolved theory and Paulo Freire\u2019s criticism<\/a><\/strong> of the \u2018banking model\u2019 of education, wherein students are regarded as passive \u2018banks\u2019 into which teachers make \u2018deposits\u2019 of information.<\/p>\n See also What Is Vygotsky\u2019s Social Learning Theory?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n After almost a decade of continued research, Bandura again revised his theory of social learning in 1986. Now referred to as \u2018social cognitive theory,\u2019 Bandura purported that\u2013in addition to the interplay among the person, their environment, and their behavior\u2013a person\u2019s past experiences also help determine their actions. Such experiences are not limited to physical behaviors, but also include previous expectations, expectancies, and reinforcements. While other theorists attribute greater influence to one of the three realms of environment, behavior, and cognition in how a person behaves, Bandura gave them equal weight in the learning process.<\/p>\n At this stage, Bandura would very likely have agreed with the oft-repeated quote in education: \u201cInsanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Albert Bandura passed away in 2021, his contributions to psychology will continue to drive future research on learning within social contexts. If readers take away one thing from this post, it should be that learning is directly correlated to social models, which can be observed in person or via the media. We can summarize the latest edition of Bandura\u2019s social cognitive\/learning theory by focusing on the following four principles:<\/p>\n Perhaps the better question is, is there any aspect of the school experience where social learning does not apply? From classroom management and collaborative learning to gamification and providing feedback, Bandura\u2019s theory is widely applicable.<\/p>\nThe Man Behind The \u2018Bobo Doll\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
What Is Social Learning Theory?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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4 Principles: Breaking Down An Evolving Theory<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How Can Teachers Use Social Learning Theory In The Classroom?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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