Social
Learning
Theory
Mahmoud Baydoun (he/him)
HSED-643-01-25/FA
Widener University
2025
Basic Definition
Social Learning Theory proposes that people
learn new behaviors by observing others and the
consequences of their actions.
Learning occurs through modeling, imitation, and
vicarious reinforcement (not just direct
conditioning).
Adapted from: Newman, B. & Newman, P. (2018). Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach (13th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Author/Developer Pioneering psychologist, developer of
of the theory Social Learning Theory and the
concept of self-efficacy.
Recognized globally with numerous
awards, including the National
Medal of Science (2016).
His work emphasized human agency,
self-regulation, and the power of
modeling in learning and adaptation.
Albert Bandura (1925-2021)
Image source: [Link]
Author/Developer of the
theory
Famous for the Bobo Doll experiment, demonstrating how
children imitate observed behaviors.
Video: Everywhere Psychology. (2012, August 28). Bandura
Bobo doll experiment [Video]. YouTube.
[Link]
Albert Bandura (1925-2021)
Image source: [Link]
Video: Sprouts. (2022, April 28). Social Learning Theory: Bandura’s Bobo Beatdown
Experiments [Video]. YouTube. [Link]
Basic Concepts in Social Learning Theory
Observation Imitation Modeling
The process of attentively
The reproduction of behaviors The process of acquiring
watching the behaviors of others
that have been observed in behavior through demonstration,
and the consequences that
others, where the individual where observed actions serve as
follow, which allows individuals
translates what was seen into a guide for new patterns of
to form symbolic representations
coordinated actions . behavior.
of those actions.
Imitation depends on cognitive
Observation makes it possible to
and motivational processes,
acquire new patterns of behavior The person performing these
including attention to the model,
indirectly, without engaging in behaviors is the model, whose
retention of the observed act,
direct practice or trial-and-error, actions provide a pattern for
the ability to reproduce it, and
highlighting the social nature of others to copy.
motivation to perform it, making
learning.
it more than mere mimicry.
Adapted from: Newman, B. & Newman, P. (2018). Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach (13th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Basic Concepts in Social Learning Theory
Vicarious Reciprocal
Self-Efficacy
Reinforcement Determinism
The process in which individuals A core principle of Social
observe the consequences of Cognitive Theory which states
The belief in one’s capabilities
another person’s behavior, such that behavior, personal factors
to organize and execute the
as rewards or punishments, and (cognitive, affective, biological),
actions required to manage
adjust their own likelihood of and the environment all
prospective situations.
performing that behavior influence each other
accordingly. bidirectionally.
This triadic model explains
It demonstrates that learning High self-efficacy increases
human agency as an interactive
can occur without direct persistence, motivation, and
process, rejecting the idea that
experience of reinforcement, resilience, whereas low self-
behavior is determined solely
highlighting the importance of efficacy can limit performance
by either internal drives or
social cues in shaping behavior despite adequate skills.
external stimuli.
Adapted from: Newman, B. & Newman, P. (2018). Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach (13th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Primary Sources- Bandura’s Books
Social Learning Theory (1977)
Image Source:
[Link]
Self-Efficacy: The
Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A
t/h/464/958/[Link] Exercise of Control
. Social Cognitive Theory (1986).
Image Source: (1997).
[Link] Image Source:
gnitive-theory [Link]
. -Efficacy_%28book%29
.
Further Resources-
Explore these TikTok Videos
Watch here: Watch here:
[Link] [Link]
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Basic Tenets of Social Learning Theory
People can acquire new Not all learning is immediately
Learning is shaped by mental
knowledge and skills by watching visible—individuals may
processes and unfolds within
others’ actions and the understand something without
social contexts.
outcomes of those actions. showing it in their behavior.
Observational learning depends
Cognition, behavior, and
on four key processes:
Reinforcement influences environment are in constant
individuals must pay attention to
learning, but it is not the sole interaction, each shaping and
the model, retain what they
factor that determines whether being shaped by the others—a
observe, be able to reproduce
learning occurs.. dynamic process called
the behavior, and have the
reciprocal determinism.
motivation to carry it out.
Adapted from: Newman, B. & Newman, P. (2018). Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach (13th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Test your Knowledge
1. According to Bandura, what famous experiment
demonstrated observational learning in children?
a) Little Albert
b) Pavlov’s Dogs
c) Bobo Doll
d) Stanford Prison
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes
Test your Knowledge
1. According to Bandura, what famous experiment
demonstrated observational learning in children?
a) Little Albert
b) Pavlov’s Dogs
c) Bobo Doll
d) Stanford Prison
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes
Test your Knowledge
2. What is the term for learning by watching the
rewards or punishments given to others?
a) Direct conditioning
b) Vicarious reinforcement
c) Self-efficacy
d) Operant learning
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
Test your Knowledge
2. What is the term for learning by watching the
rewards or punishments given to others?
a) Direct conditioning
b) Vicarious reinforcement
c) Self-efficacy
d) Operant learning
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
Test your Knowledge
3. In Reciprocal Determinism, which three factors
continuously influence each other?
a) Thoughts, dreams, instincts
b) Behavior, personal factors, environment
c) Teacher, student, classroom
d) Rewards, punishments, responses
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
Test your Knowledge
3. In Reciprocal Determinism, which three factors
continuously influence each other?
a) Thoughts, dreams, instincts
b) Behavior, personal factors, environment
c) Teacher, student, classroom
d) Rewards, punishments, responses
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
Test your Knowledge
4. Self-efficacy refers to:
a) Copying others’ actions.
b) Belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific tasks.
c) Learning through trial-and-error.
d) External motivation only.
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
Test your Knowledge
4. Self-efficacy refers to:
a) Copying others’ actions.
b) Belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific tasks.
c) Learning through trial-and-error.
d) External motivation only.
Generated by Chat-GPT 5.0 for Educational purposes.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman.
Everywhere Psychology. (2012, August 28). Bandura Bobo doll experiment [Video].
YouTube. [Link] .
Newman, B. & Newman, P. (2018). Development Through Life: A Psychosocial Approach
(13th
ed.). Cengage Learning.
Sprouts. (2022, April 28). Social Learning Theory: Bandura’s Bobo Beatdown Experiments
[Video]. YouTube. [Link]
