COMM 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Observational Learning
12 Jun 2018
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PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF MEDIA EFFECTS
Social Cognitive Theory: PART 1
OUTLINE
● Social (observational) learning theory
● Four component processes
● Social cognitive theory
● Cognitive traits
● Disinhibitory devices: Forms of self-exoneration
I. Social (Observational) Learning Theory
● (1941) Miller & Dollard proposed a theory of social learning & imitation
○ Drives, cues, responses, rewards
● (1963) Bandura & Walters described the principles of obs learning & vicarious reinforcement in
Social Learning and Personality Development”
○ Shows how novel behaviors are acquired
● Learning a new behavior involves observing & imitating that behavior being performed by
another person
● The model could be a real person/filmed person/fictitious character/etc.
● Bandura’s Bobo Doll Studies
● Indiiduals are MORE likel to adopt modeled ehaior i…
○ Model is similar to observer (ex: same gender)
○ Model has admired status (ex: Researcher received candy after hitting doll)
○ Behavior has functional value
II. Observational Learning / Modeling / Social Learning
● Obs learning does NOT merely refer to a short-term process based on simple obs & imitation
○ It concerns long-term effects
● Most ommonl inoked theor to eplain TV’s eets on learnin ehaiors
○ Ex: Kids’ TV shows put out good messages→ Sharing, learning #s,
etc.
● A cognitive approach that emphasizes the importance of mental activity as a precursor to action
● Four component processes:
1. Attention
2. Retention
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find more resources at oneclass.com
3. Motor reproduction
4. Motivation
1. ATTENTION
a. Individuals cannot learn much by observation unless they perceive and attend to the
significant features of the modeled behavior
b. Attention depends on…
i. Message characteristics→ Salience & attractiveness
ii. Perceived functional value of the action
iii. One’s oals & interests
iv. One’s onitie skills
2. RETENTION
a. Modeled behavior must be remembered or retained in order to be used again.
b. Retention involves
i. Cognitive rehearsal
ii. Elaboration→ Comparing the action to already existing thoughts relevant to
the action
iii. Filing the behavior into long-term memory
3. MOTOR REPRODUCTION (Production)
a. Learning a behavior does NOT lead automatically to replicating it
b. Individuals must have the physical abilities & skills to replicate the action
c. Self-efficacy
i. Belief that one can enact the behavior before the attempt
d. Modification could occur during the production process
4. MOTIVATION
a. Socially learned behaviors may not be enacted unless one is motivated
i. Acquisition vs Performance
b. Motivational rewards or punishments
i. Direct → Direct results of own action
ii. Self-produced → Self-satisfaction and self-worth
iii. Vicarious → Observation of other’s behaviors and subsequent
outcomes
III. Social Cognitive Theory
● 16 Bandura pulished Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory”
○ He assigned cognition a central role in human behavior
● People are…
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
○ NOT just reactive organisms shaped and shepherded by environmental events or inner
forces,
○ ...but, self organizing, proactive, self-reflecting, and self-regulating
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Disinhibitory devices: forms of self-exoneration: social (observational) learning theory (1941) miller & dollard proposed a theory of social learning & imitation. Drives, cues, responses, rewards (1963) bandura & walters described the principles of obs learning & vicarious reinforcement in (cid:1849)social learning and personality development . Learning a new behavior involves observing & imitating that behavior being performed by another person. The model could be a real person/filmed person/fictitious character/etc. Indi(cid:475)iduals are more likel(cid:482) to adopt modeled (cid:282)eha(cid:475)ior i(cid:321) . Model is similar to observer (ex: same gender) Model has admired status (ex: researcher received candy after hitting doll) Obs learning does not merely refer to a short-term process based on simple obs & imitation. Most (cid:283)ommonl(cid:482) in(cid:475)oked theor(cid:482) to e(cid:481)plain tv"s e(cid:321)(cid:321)e(cid:283)ts on learnin(cid:322) (cid:282)eha(cid:475)iors. Ex: kids" tv shows put out good messages sharing, learning #s, etc. A cognitive approach that emphasizes the importance of mental activity as a precursor to action.
