“To Learn More” Student Essays Personality Theories, Eighth Edition - Engler Chapter 9: Social Learning Theories: Albert Bandura, Julian Rotter

Observational Learning

According to Albert Bandura's theory of observational learning, much of what we do is based upon what we have watched others do. In other words, the behavior of an individual is determined not only by the reinforcements or punishments that the individual has personally experienced, but also by the behaviors performed by those around the individual and the feedback that has followed those observed behaviors. Bandura used the term "model" to refer to those people whose behavior we observe and learn from, regardless of whether they intended for their behavior to be observed.

Bandura and other researchers in this field have discovered that there are many factors that influence the likelihood that an observer will imitate a model. For example, the characteristics of the model affect learning via observation. If the model is perceived by the observer as similar to him or her, the behavior is more likely to be copied than if the model is perceived as different. Also, if the model is modeling simple behaviors, those are more likely to be mimicked than complex behaviors. The characteristics of the observer also make a difference. Observers who are low in self-esteem, dependent, or conforming tend to emulate models more readily than those who are high in self-esteem, independent, or nonconformist. Finally, regardless of the attributes of the model or the observer, if the behavior itself is associated with a reward that is meaningful to the observer, modeling is more likely to occur than if the behavior is followed by no such reward.

Consider the many ways that people try to influence your behavior via observational learning in your daily life. People you know in your personal life-parents, friends, partners, siblings, family members-may perform certain behaviors with at least the partial intent of demonstrating their consequences to you in order to persuade you to behave accordingly. Others may also try to influence your behavior via observational learning, but for more selfish or profit-driven reasons. Advertisers, for example, often create ads in which a model (in the Bandura sense or the fashion industry sense) illustrates the rewards or punishments of a particular behavior. On television, radio, billboards, or magazines, we often see attempts to sell us on a particular product that center around the benefits that the product has brought to a model. These models typically appear and disappear from advertising campaigns quickly, but occasionally a model will remain as an essential component of an ad campaign for a long time, presumably because that particular model has proven to be particularly effective in getting consumers to emulate his or her behavior. "Jared," who has been featured in ads for Subway® restaurants for years, is one such model. Jared's basic message has been that by eating Subway sandwiches, he lost a significant amount of weight. The implication, of course, is that viewers can learn from Jared's experience and enjoy similar results. Based on your knowledge of the factors that influence modeling behavior, why do you think Jared has been such an effective spokesperson for Subway?

Andrew M. Pomerantz, Ph. D. “To Learn More” Student Essays Personality Theories, Eighth Edition - Engler Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Critical Thinking Questions:

1. In addition to Jared (from the Subway ads), can you recall another model who has appeared to have had a long and successful career in advertising? What attributes of this person contribute to his or her effectiveness as a model of behavior? 2. Some cultures tend to value conformity, traditionalism, and obedience. Contrastingly, other cultures tend to value independence, self-determination, and individualism. How might such values influence the likelihood that a person will follow a model? 3. When your grandparents were children, who served as their primary models? How might the answer to this question differ for today's children?

Web Links: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Bandura/bobo Bandura's classic "bobo doll" observational learning study, on the website of Christopher D. Green at York University in Toronto. http://tip.psychology.org/bandura.html An overview of Bandura's social learning theory, including discussion of observational learning. http://www.funderstanding.com/observational_learning.cfm A section of the website of a company of "product development consultants, specialized in the youth market" including a description of Bandura's theory of observational learning.