Social cognitive theories pdf

Enactive and Vicarious Learning Social learning involves learning vicariously. Vicarious learning occurs when we learn by imitating or observing others. Enactive learning occurs when we learn by doing. We learn best when both are combined: observe others and learn by doing.

In the classroom, this would mean that students would be able to observe somebody engaged in academic or social tasks and then be given chances to experiment or apply what they have learned.

Four Conditions Necessary for Social Learning There are four conditions necessary for social learning to take place. Learners need to pay attention to the behavior to be learned. In a classroom, teachers sometimes have to point out specific behaviors. The observer must be able to remember what was observed later when given opportunities to act.

Posters with reminder, concept maps, and graphic organizers are all ways to call attention to salient elements. Also, verbal reminders can be used. Observers must be given opportunities to reproduce the behavior. Also, observers must be able to reproduce the behavior. That is, the behavior must be proximal. Likewise, I could have an expert tap dancer come into a 3rd grade classroom and model dancing; but again, since it would not be possible for most of them to reproduce the behavior, it would not be a very effective learning situation.

The observer must be motivated to act. That means that the observer must value the behavior or the rewards that behavior may bring about and that observer must expect to see some sort of reinforcement as a result of the behavior. Here, children were shown a film where adults interacted aggressively hitting, punching, and kicking , with an inflatable toy known as a Bobo doll.

Children were put into four different groups: Group 1watched a film version where the adult was rewarded for the aggressive behavior. Group 2 watched a film version where the adult was punished for the aggressive behavior. Group 3 watched a film version where the adult there were no consequences for the aggressive behavior. Group 4 was the control group. They did not watch any films. Results After watching the film, children were put in a room in which there was a Bobo doll see Figure 1.

The results showed that children who saw the adult rewarded for aggressive behavior Group 1 were more likely to behave aggressively when compared to the other groups. Children who saw the adult punished for aggressive behavior Group 2 were less likely to behave aggressively when compared to the other groups.

Figure 1. Bobo doll and aggression. This is called direct modeling. For example, Sam saw Mary study and how she studied. Sam wanted to be as successful. He began to study in the same way that Mary did. The second type of modeling is where you imitate the behaviors of characters in movies, books, video games, or on television. This is called is called symbolic modeling. This occurs frequently with teenagers and the various media they consume.

For example, Phil began talking and dressing the way characters do on his favorite TV show. The third type of modeling where you take bits and pieces from a variety of models. This is called synthesized modeling. For example, Harvey was a beginning teacher. He took ideas and modeled his teaching style from a variety of teachers that he observed during student teaching and his first year of teaching.

The model is perceived positively, liked, and respected. Models with high prestige and who are older or more powerful are more apt to influence observational learning.

There are perceived similarities between the model and the observer. That is, they have the capacity to imitate the task. Observers are more likely to imitate behaviors in others they perceive as competent. The model gets rewarded or punished for the behavior. As well, they learn customs and social skills and they begin to develop and internalize their own values. Social learning can be used to help students develop positive behaviors as part of a classroom management plan and to enhance the teaching and learning of academic subjects and skills.

Helping Students Develop Positive Behaviors How do you provide positive role models that reflective the lives and experiences of all students? One simple way to do this is to have an abundance of high quality books that include characters with positive character traits. These books should have an equal number of male and female lead characters that are similar in age and circumstance to the students who are reading them.

Books also enable students to see the logical consequences of negative behavior without having to experience the circumstances. However, this should not involve moralizing or propaganda. This often has the opposite intended effect. Also, model the behaviors you wish to see. For effective modeling make sure that the four essential conditions exist; attention, retention, production, and motivation.

Remember also that as a classroom teacher your interactions are being watched. If your interactions demonstrate respect for your students and other teachers, these attitudes are more likely to be reflected by your students. Children learn what they live. The unique feature of SCT is the emphasis on social influence and its emphasis on external and internal social reinforcement. SCT considers the unique way in which individuals acquire and maintain behavior, while also considering the social environment in which individuals perform the behavior.

The theory takes into account a person's past experiences, which factor into whether behavioral action will occur. These past experiences influences reinforcements, expectations, and expectancies, all of which shape whether a person will engage in a specific behavior and the reasons why a person engages in that behavior.

Many theories of behavior used in health promotion do not consider maintenance of behavior, but rather focus on initiating behavior. This is unfortunate as maintenance of behavior, and not just initiation of behavior, is the true goal in public health. The goal of SCT is to explain how people regulate their behavior through control and reinforcement to achieve goal-directed behavior that can be maintained over time.

The first five constructs were developed as part of the SLT; the construct of self-efficacy was added when the theory evolved into SCT. There are several limitations of SCT, which should be considered when using this theory in public health.

Limitations of the model include the following:. Social Cognitive Theory considers many levels of the social ecological model in addressing behavior change of individuals. SCT has been widely used in health promotion given the emphasis on the individual and the environment, the latter of which has become a major point of focus in recent years for health promotion activities.

As with other theories, applicability of all the constructs of SCT to one public health problem may be difficult especially in developing focused public health programs.

All Rights Reserved. Date last modified: September 9, Boston University School of Public Health. Wayne W. Behavioral Change Models. Contents All Modules.

This refers to the dynamic and reciprocal interaction of person individual with a set of learned experiences , environment external social context , and behavior responses to stimuli to achieve goals. Behavioral Capability - This refers to a person's actual ability to perform a behavior through essential knowledge and skills.

In order to successfully perform a behavior, a person must know what to do and how to do it. People learn from the consequences of their behavior, which also affects the environment in which they live.