Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Banduras theory is based on observations of learning occuring through observing the behaviour of others.

Behaviours you have seen children modelling:

Pretending to use a mobile phone

Swearing

Hitting

Pretending to clean

Repeating Phrases

Positive reinforcement

Star charts

Certificates

Praise

Awards

Negative reinforcement

Remove behaviours

Replace with another behaviour

Ignore behaviour

The behaviour is repeated because of personal satisfaction (intrinsic reinforcement) or rewards (extrinsic reinforcement).

The behaviour is not repeated to avoid an adverse experience such as lack of satisfaction or to avoid being told off.

Bandura based his theory on a famous experiment using a Bobo doll in which he demonstrated that children learn and copy aggressive behaviour by observing adults behaving aggressively.

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