Observational Learning

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Observational Learning
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Learning occurs not only by conditioning but by
observing others
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• Observational learning? learning by observing
  others and imitating their behavior
• Modeling? the process of observing and imitating
  a specific behavior
• Monkey see, monkey do
• Humans have a strong tendency to imitate
  behavior.
• Memes? transmitted cultural elements such as
  ideas, fashions, and habits that travel by
  imitation

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• Mirror Neurons? provide a neural basis for
  observational learning? frontal lobe neurons that
  fire when performing certain actions or when
  observing another doing so
• The brains mirroring of anothers actions may
  enable imitation, language learning and empathy
• Ex.- We find it harder to frown when viewing a
  smile than when viewing a frown.

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Banduras experiment

• Preschool children observed adults beating a Bobo
  doll- Adults were pounding, kicking, and throwing
  a large inflated Bobo doll around the room, while
  yelling such remarks as, Sock him in the nose
  Hit him down Kick him.
• Children were later given the opportunity to play
  with the Bobo doll. Compared with children NOT
  exposed to the adult model, those who observed
  the adult models aggressive outburst were much
  more likely to lash out at the doll. Children
  imitated the very acts they had observed and used
  the words they heard.

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• What determines whether we will imitate a model?
• Reinforcements and punishments? We learn to
  anticipate a behaviors consequences in
  situations like those we are observing.
• We are especially likely to imitate those we
  perceive as similar to ourselves
• We imitate those that are successful.
• We imitate people we admire.

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Applications of Observational Learning

• Antisocial models- in ones family or
  neighborhood, or on TV- may have antisocial
  effects.
• Copycat threats or incidents in every state
  after Columbine High School massacre
• Abusive parents might have aggressive children
• Many men who beat their wives had wife-battering
  fathers
• Intergenerational transmission of abuse or
  violence

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• Positive behavior can also be learned through
  observational learning.
• Prosocial (positive, helpful, constructive)
  models can have prosocial behavior.
• People who exemplify nonviolent, helpful behavior
  can prompt similar behavior in others
• Martin Luther King, Jr. made non-violent action a
  powerful force of social change through modeling

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Models are most effective when their actions
and words are consistent.