Albert Banduras Observational Learning Theory and Imitation

By: Lianna Dehan and Trudy Marchica

Banduras Biography
Born December 4, 1925 in Mundare which is a small town in northern Alberta, Canada Received his bachelor degree in psychology at University of British Columbia. Continued his schooling at University of Iowa and received his PHD in 1952. It was at the University of Iowa where he became familiar with behaviorist tradition and learning theory. In 1953, he wrote his first book along side of Richard Walters called Adolescent Aggression. He was the President of American Psychological Association In 1980 he received the APA award for distinguished scientific contributions. He presently works at Stanford University

Observational Learning Theory

- Bandura claimed that in social situations, people often learn much more rapidly simply by observing the behaviors of others - Bandura found that there are four components of observational learning:
Attentional Processes Retention Processes Motor Reproduction Processes Reinforcement and Motivational Processes

Imitation May Not Always Be Desirable

Attentional Processes
One cannot imitate a model without paying attention to the model. A model is often attractive because of the qualities he or she posses. These qualities such as prestige, power, and success gain the attention of the observer and begin the process of observational learning.

Retention Processes
Retention process is the way one remembers the models actions so he can imitate them. Bandura explains, In order to reproduce social behavior when the model is no longer present to serve as a guide, the response patterns must be represented in memory in symbolic form. Example: mentally rehearsing the actions or practicing the actions will help one remember what he learned.

Motor Reproduction Processes

This is when a person uses the proper motor skills to accurately reproduce their model. A five year old can observe his parent operate a car, but this does not mean he has the ability to correctly drive an automobile

Reinforcement and Motivational Processes

This process refers to the idea that a child will be more likely to imitate a behavior if he is likely to gain a reward When positive incentives are introduced, observational learning that previously remained unexpressed is likely to emerge in action.

Basic Premise
We learn behavior through observation Vicarious reinforcement: Learn through observing consequences of behaviors of others

Modeling
Observe behavior of others and repeat the behavior Bobo doll studies (1963) Disinhibition: Weakening of inhibition through exposure to a model

Factors Influencing Modeling: Impact Tendency to Imitate

Characteristics of the models: similarity, age, sex, status, prestige, simple vs. complex behavior Characteristics of observers: Low selfconfidence, low self-esteem, reinforcement for imitation Reward consequences of behavior: Directly witnessing associated rewards

The Observational Learning Process: 4 Steps

Attentional processes Retention processes Production processes Incentive and motivational processes

Step 1: Attentional Processes

Developing cognitive processes to pay attention to a model- more developed processes allow for better attention Must observe the model accurately enough to imitate behavior

Step 2: Retention Processes

To later imitate behavior, must remember aspects of the behavior Retain information in 2 ways:
Imaginal internal representation: Visual image Ex: Forming a mental picture Verbal system: Verbal description of behavior Ex: Silently rehearsing steps in behavior

Step 3: Production Processes

Taking imaginal and verbal representations and translating into overt behavior- practice behaviors Receive feedback on accuracy of behavior- how well have you imitated the modeled behavior? Important in mastering difficult skills
Ex: Driving a car

Step 4: Incentive and Motivational Processes

With incentives, observation more quickly becomes action, pay more attention, retain more information Incentive to learn influenced by anticipated reinforcements

Bobo Doll Experiment

Models
Children are prone to imitate models that are more intelligent, skillful, and knowledgeable than themselves and others around them. Children have a broad range of influences- parents, teachers, peers, and older siblings. When a child has the choice, he is likely to select models with similar attributes and ignore those that have little in common with. There are two types of models:
Symbolic Exemplary

Symbolic Models
Models presented through oral or written instructions, pictorially, or through a combination of verbal and pictorial devices. The media is a good example of pictorially presented models.
television movies radio

Exemplary models
Can be pictorial models or represented through verbal descriptions. A child is given an example whether it be a superhero, next door neighbor, or a friend and are told that these models actions are good and should be imitated, or in some cases, bad and should be avoided.

Three Effects of the Observation of Models

1. Observer may acquire new responses that were not in his repertory. 2. If models actions already exist in observers repertory, observation may strengthen or weaken inhibitory responses. 3. Sometimes observation of models draws out already known responses in observer

Imitation
- Imitation is the actual performance of behavior that has been observed.

Our hypothesis states:

the younger children will be more likely to imitate their tutors than the older children. The girls will be more likely than the boys to answer the questions exactly like their tutor. A child will be more likely to copy their tutor if they are the same sex. If there are harder questions that the children might not know the answers to, they will be more prone to imitating their tutor Because the children have bonded with their tutors, they will imitate their own tutor over another college student.

Procedure for the Questionnaires

The questionnaires were handed out on two separate days but the procedure was the same for both days While the kids were working with their tutors, we went to each tutor and told them that they were to answer the questions on the sheet of paper first aloud, then write down their answer on the blank assigned to the tutor. Then they were instructed to read the same question to their student, and write down their answer. Each tutor was handed a piece of paper with the questions listed

Data for Questionnaire 1:

Tutor name/Student name and gender *Lianna(f)/Batu ul(m) age 9 What is your favorite kind of music? Country/Jess e Mcartney What is your favorite animal? Dolphin/cheet ah What is your favorite movie? Lion King/Transfor mers and Alvin and the Chipmunks Zoolander/Al vin and the Chipmonks Men in Black/Men in Black Waiting for Guffman/War Movies The Little Princess and Finding Nemo/Chipm unk Movie What is your favorite school subject? Theology/Re ading What is your favorite sport? Swimming/str eet basketball What is your favorite actor? Matt Dammon/Jac kie Chan

*Angela(f)/Ana yancy (f) age 9 Kyle(m)/Sanchi r(m) age 9 Emily(f)/Anar( m) age 11 *Trudy(f)/Amy(f ) age 11

Rock/HHiphop Rock/Normal

Monkey/Dogs ,cats Alligator/Alli gator Dog/dog and cheetah Dog/dog

Chemistry/M ath Math/math

Soccer/Ice Skating Baseball/bas eball Swimming/S wimming Tennis/Baske tball

George Clooney/Amy Adams Will Smith/Will smith Steve Carrel/Jackie Chan Brad Pitt/Johnny Depp

Countr/Tune s only (no songs) Pop and Rock/Hiphop and R&B

Social Studies/Math English/Scien ce

Data for Questionnaire 2:

Tutor name/stud ent name and gender Would you rather be an Otolaryngol ogist or Ophthalmol ogist? Oto/opthal # Opthal/Opt hal Opthal/Opt hal # Would you rather live Lithuania or Norway Would you rather snorkel or scuba dive? Would you rather eat caviar or sushi? Would you rather play squash or lacrosse Would you rather parasail or windsurf? Would you rather injure your femur or tibia? Would you rather meet John F. Kennedy or Ronald Reagan? Reagan/Ke nnedy # Kennedy/k ennedy Kennedy/k ennedy

*Lianna(f)/ Batuul(m) age 9 Kyle(m)/An ar(m) age 11 *Trudy(f)/A my(f) age 12

Lithuania/ Lithuania Norway/N orwa Norway//Lit huania

Scuba dive/Scub a dive Scuba/scu ba Scuba/Scu ba

Sushi/sus hi Sushi/sus hi Sushi/Sus hi

Lacrosse/s quash # Lacrosse/ n/a Lacrosses/ squash

Windsurf/ windsurf Parasail/wi ndsurf Windsurf/ windsurf

femur/tibia # Tibia/tibia

Tibia/tibia

*Sean(m)/ Maddie(f) age 12

*Sean(m)/ Margot(f) age 8 Lianna(f)/S anchir(m) age 9

Oto/Oto#

Norway/Lit huania
Norway/N orway Lithuania/ Lithuania #

Scuba/Sno rkel
Scuba/Sno rkel Scuba/snor kel #

Sushi/Sus hi
Sushi/Sus hi Sushi/Sus hi

Lacrosse/ Lacrosse
Lacrosse/ Lacrosse Lacorrse/S quash #

Windsurf/p arasail
Windsurf/ Windsurf Windsurf/ windsurf #

Femur//tibi a
Femur/fem ur # femur/fem ur #

Reagan/Ke nnedy
Reagan/Ke nnedy Reagan/Re agan #

Oto/oto #

Oto/oto #

Weak points of Experiment

- The amount of children that come to tutoring weekly fluctuates, which gave us less data than expected - Instead of using questionnaires, we should have used a full month to conduct a more complete experiment using actions of models as the focal point, rather than questions on a sheet of paper. - More appealing experiment that would be less obvious that we conducting an experiment.