Module 17:
Observational Learning
Albert Bandura and
Observational Learning
What things did you have to
watch/observe in order to learn?
Observational Learning
• Learning by observing and watching others (the model)
Model
• In observational learning, the person whose behavior the
subject watches and imitates
Modeling
• The process of observing and imitating a specific
behavior
Albert Bandura (1925• American psychologist
who has done major
studies in observational
learning
• Studies the consequences
a model has on subjects
• Bobo Doll experiments
)
The Bobo Doll Experiments
• Child is playing in a room
when an adult in the room
begins a series of violent
behaviors…to a Bobo Doll.
– While beating Bobo, the adult
would shout things like, “sock
him in the nose…Hit him
down…kick him”.
• Next kids went to a play
room with lots of toys.
• When kid was happily
playing the researcher would
make them stop b/c cool toys
were for other kids
• Frustrated child not taken to
another room with few toys –
including Bobo.
– How do you think the child
behaved towards Bobo?
• Child shown aggressive
behavior earlier mimicked
exact behavior.
Bobo Doll Experiment
Testing Vicarious Learning
• What are the effects of consequences delivered
to the model…would it effect the observer???
• Vicarious learning:
– Learning by seeing the consequence of another’s
behavior
• Bandura made a film of adult beating Bobo to
show children; were three endings researchers
could chose from:
– 1. Adult model is praised.
– 2. Adult model is punished.
– 3. The model receives neither a reward or
punishment.
• How will these children's behavior differ?
Results
• After viewing the video, each group of children
spent time with the Bobo doll.
– Group #1: behaved most aggressively in the play
room.
– Group #2: behaved least aggressively.
• Has Vicarious learning taken place?
• http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=7341218
559556376241&q=Bobo+Doll+Experiment&total
=6&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plinde
x=0
Modeling Requirements
• Bandura suggests four requirements for
effective modeling to occur:
– Attention
– Retention
– Ability to reproduce the behavior
– Motivation
Module 17: Observational Learning
Observational
Learning in Everyday
Life
Anti-social/Pro-social Behavior
• Anti-social behavior - negative, destructive
unhelpful behavior
• Pro-social behavior – positive, constructive,
helpful behavior
• Both types of behavior can be modeled
effectively.
– What do we call model’s of pro-social behavior?
• Examples of celebrities who are in between?
Module 17: Observational Learning
Observational Learning of
Violence From the Media
Can you think of any violent shows or
video games you have played/seen?
Could observational learning take place?
Could vicarious learning take place?