Psychology: Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory

This article discusses Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory and its relevance in understanding human behavior. It also explores the impact of violent behavior and the role of role models in shaping behavior.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY 1
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Introduction
According to Bandura (2014), psychology is the study of human nature, and is important as it
involves the research of psychological procedures and actions used in different settings. Common
psychology approaches include physiological, socio-cultural, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and behavioral
approaches. The study of psychology is relevant in my life as it assists me in understanding myself and
others better.
Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory is concerned with behavior modeling through learning
of behavior by watching the actions of others. In my life, behavior modeling is most common as I’ve
learned various activities by watching others do them, including playing the guitar, riding the bicycle,
and using the computer. For example, my father is a very good player of the guitar and when I was
young, I used to watch him play then later I would go into my room and practice. After one month of
observation and practice, I was playing the guitar well.
Additionally, Bandura explains about violent behavior which is caused by a repeat of exposure to
violent media or people who react violently. Violent behavior is a long-term behavior and is believed to
be experienced after a few years while aggressive behavior is short term and can be felt immediately. I
learned that children have a tendency of exercising violence if they had been exposed to violence in the
past. I realized that people who are violent have a high chance that they had an unpleasant childhood
where they may have been violently threatened, beaten, hit, spanked, or kicked which may have caused
them to have violent behavior as adults (Bandura, 2009). For example, as a child, I was raised in the
same estate with my friend who was frequently being exposed to domestic violence. My friend’s parents
were constantly quarreling and finally ended up seeking assistance from family advisors. Furthermore,

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the family occasionally went to court to settle disputes. Therefore, my friend grew up observing the
violent behavior from his parents, and after joining high school, he was suspended frequently because of
violent behavior against his fellow students and teachers. He was finally expelled from school when his
behavior became uncontrollable and endangered the lives of other students.
Therefore, the observation of violent acts makes people more violent, and apart from children
imitating negative and positive behaviors from their parents, they can still observe and imitate behaviors
from video games, television programs and films (Hadwin & Oshige, 2011). Furthermore, behaviors can
be learned through role models since mostly, children look up to successful people as their role models
(Zimmerman, 2013). For example, many students who have their role models as entrepreneurs end up
pursuing business-related courses and eventually become entrepreneurs when they grow up.
Conclusion
The Social Learning Theory focuses on a single dimension of personality and observational
learning and is applied in my daily life in understanding my behavior as well as how other people
behave. Understanding the theory can be useful in teaching moral behavior because children do what
they see and hear. Therefore, parents and teachers can work together as role models to bring up a morally
upright future generation.

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References
Bandura, A. (2009). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. In Media effects (pp. 110-140).
Routledge.
Bandura, A. (2014). Social cognitive theory of moral thought and action. In Handbook of moral behavior
and development (pp. 69-128). Psychology Press.
Hadwin, A., & Oshige, M. (2011). Self-regulation, coregulation, and socially shared regulation:
Exploring perspectives of social in self-regulated learning theory. Teachers College Record,
113(2), 240-264.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2013). Theories of self-regulated learning and academic achievement: An overview
and analysis. In Self-regulated learning and academic achievement (pp. 10-45). Routledge.