The action of imitating the gestures of others is a fundamental act of personal growth and the evolution of the species because it offers clear advantages in terms of time and energy. Furthermore, through imitation one learns the meaning of the context and the results of the actions carried out by the person being observed. In this Psychology-Online article we will talk about the concept of learning by observation and imitation and the main authors. Below we will delve together into What is observational learning theory, and some examples to understand it better.
What is observational learning in psychology
Learning by observation or imitation means the conscious and intentional reproduction of an expert’s behavior by the novice to achieve the same objective pursued by the expert himself. As such, imitation requires the ability to understand the objective (intention) that the expert intends to achieve, to understand his mental plan by distinguishing between the actions that serve as means and those that constitute the objective, as well as to repeat the sequence of actions. of the expert to achieve the objective pursued by the expert. Consequently, observational learning consists of reproducing what the expert wants to do (and not simply what he does). Imitation involves two closely related cognitive processes:
- The capacity of make sense of the actions of others.
- The capacity of reproduce your actions.
Imitation is therefore based on the mental attitude of “treating others as oneself”; Consequently, all imitative activity implies a greater understanding of the mental functioning of oneself and others based on a system of “self-other analogy.” In imitation we learn not only from others, but above all with and through others.
In the human species observational learning is effective and already structured around nine months, concomitantly with the appearance of intentionality and the understanding of others as intentional agents (it is the so-called “nine month turn”).
Bandura’s observational learning theory
is one of the first to highlight that learning does not exclusively involve the individual’s direct response to stimuli received from outside, but is also activated through indirect experiences, developed through the observation of other individuals. In fact, learning is activated even when the behavior of an individual is modified depending on the behavior of another individual, which assumes the role of model (modeling). The individual, that is, learns not because he relates directly to the outside, but because observes and then imitates another individual who acts as a role model. The experiment of children learning aggressive behavior in the presence of violent adults is considered the classic example in this regard.
Social learning through imitation and reproduction of role models present in the context is also called vicarious learning. Here we explain in detail the .
What are the characteristics of observational learning? Studies show that this vicarious learning It is favored by some conditions:
- The similarity of performance and the similarity of personal characteristics between the observer and the model.
- The multiplicity and variety of the models.
- The competence of the model.
- The ID between model and model.
Observational learning processes
Observational learning involves a series of stages, each of which involves different processes:
- Care processthat is, focus, pay attention, put something in the center of your perceptual field.
- Representative processthat is, once the behavior of the model has been recorded, the individual interprets it in the light of his or her knowledge and memorizes the most important aspects, which, if necessary, can be reproduced.
- Reproduction processthat is, the motor reproduction of the behavior observed and stored in the two previous phases.
- Motivation processis activated by the advantages that the individual hopes to have by imitating the model and which may consist of external reinforcements, self-reinforcements or vicariant reinforcements.
Types of observational learning
There are five possible outcomes of observational learning:
- direct attention. By observing others, we not only learn acts, but we also observe the objects related to the acts.
- Stimulate existing behaviors. This type of observational learning represents that observing the behavior of others tells us which of the behaviors we have already learned we should use.
- Change inhibitions. If members of a class observe that a student breaks a rule and gets away with it, they would learn that breaking rules does not always bring undesirable consequences (ripple effect).
- Teach new behaviors and attitudes. When applied thoughtfully, modeling is an effective and efficient means of teaching new behaviors.
- Awaken emotions. Using observational learning, individuals develop emotional reactions to situations they have never personally experienced, such as flying or driving.
Examples of observational learning
In a famous experiment, Bandura illustrates the power of social conditioning through an experiment with children. In it experiment There are three groups of preschoolers:
- In the first group, along with the children, there is an adult who behaves aggressively towards an inflatable doll, called Bobo, and hits it screaming.
- In the second group, there is always an adult who plays with the wooden constructions, without expressing any type of aggressive behavior against Bobo.
- In the third group, there are only children who play freely.
The children are then taken to a room where neutral games (plush, truck models) and aggressive games (rifles, Bobo, a ball with a painted face tied to a string) are available. It follows that children who had observed the adult hitting Bobo show a higher incidence of aggressive behaviorboth with respect to those who had had an adult as a non-aggressive model, and with respect to those who had played alone.
Therefore, examples of observational learning in the classroom can be all those behaviors that are performed repeatedly by adults while children can observe them. For example, leaving the jacket on its hanger, saying hello and goodbye, clearing the table…
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Bibliography
- Anolli, L. (2006). The multicultural mind. Bari: Editori Laterza.
- Salvemini, S. (2017). Organization aziendale. Milan: Aegea.
- Verga, R., Marinelli, D. (2013). The art of mediation. Milan: Franco Angeli.
- Woolfolk, A. (2006). Educational psychology. Madrid: Pearson Education.