Social Cognitive Theory

Originally known as observational learning or social learning, the theory is now referred to as social-cognitive theory.  It developed from the assumption that we abstract information from others, and learn in this process.  You might recall in an earlier module, the discussion of unconditioning.  One of the things Mary Cover Jones found to work to uncondition fear responses was watching others confront the fear inducing stimulus.  Mary Cover Jones' work was introduced under behaviorism because that was the paradigm from which she worked.  However, today we recognize that her model was what Bandura later termed Social Cognitive Learning.
 

· Modeling is the key element in social cognitive theory.  Bandura notes that particularly important in today’s society is the role of the media.

How does the media shape kids behavior in school?  

Factors that influence learning

    1) the capacity to use symbols: humans use symbols to transform their external experience
    into internal models that guide future action, and allow them to test models of behavior
    before behaving. When humans have an experience, they must assign some meaning to
    that experience, and then code the information so it can be remembered.  Vygotsky
    taught us that there is a strong connection between the symbol system and the meaning
    assigned.

    2) Humans are intentional and purposive: individuals "monitor their ideas, act on them or
    predict occurrences from them, judge the adequacy of their thoughts from the results
    and change them accordingly."  This is a place where Bandura begins to deviate from
    the radical behaviorists.  Social Cognitive theory recognizes the importance of the
    mediating effect that cognitions have on human behavior.  Skinner's position was that
    individual's did not even need to know they were being reinforced.  After all- pigeons
    are not aware of reinforcement schedules!  However, Bandura notes that it is important
    for individuals to recognize the reinforcing consequences received by models of behavior,
    if the behavior is to be learned.

 


 
 

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