Overview
This lecture covers Albert Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment and explains how observational learning differs from classical and operant conditioning, introducing social-cognitive learning and the role of cognitive factors and mirror neurons.
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment
- In 1961, Albert Bandura studied how children imitate aggressive behavior after watching adults attack an inflatable clown named Bobo.
- Children who observed aggression were more likely to imitate it, while those who saw non-aggressive adults did not.
- The study challenged the dominant behaviorist view that learning requires direct conditioning.
Classical and Operant Conditioning Review
- Classical conditioning: learning by associating a stimulus with an involuntary response (e.g., dog salivates at bell).
- Operant conditioning: learning by associating a stimulus with a voluntary behavior (e.g., rat presses lever for food).
- Both models emphasize learning through rewards, punishments, and associations.
Biological Limits and Preparedness
- Species learn associations more easily if they are biologically relevant to survival (e.g., taste aversion in humans, visual cues in birds).
- Certain behaviors are easier to condition if they align with an animal’s natural tendencies.
Cognition and Latent Learning
- Cognition (thoughts, expectations, perspectives) influences learning beyond basic conditioning.
- Latent learning occurs without conscious effort or immediate reward, such as developing mental maps in new environments.
- Experiments with rats in mazes show learning can happen without reinforcement.
Observational Learning and Modeling
- Observational learning is gaining knowledge by watching and imitating others, not just through direct experience.
- Modeling means copying the behaviors of others (humans and animals do this naturally).
- Social observation is especially influential in shaping children's behavior.
Mirror Neurons and Imitation
- Mirror neurons are brain cells that fire both when performing and observing an action.
- Neuroimaging shows people’s brains react vicariously when watching others receive rewards or perform actions.
- Mirror neuron research supports the importance of observational learning.
Implications of Social Learning
- Parental and other role models significantly impact children’s behavior, positively or negatively.
- Early experiences and observed behaviors are deeply influential and long-lasting.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Observational Learning — Learning by watching and imitating others' behavior.
- Modeling — The process of imitating specific behaviors observed in others.
- Classical Conditioning — Learning via association between a stimulus and involuntary response.
- Operant Conditioning — Learning via association between behavior and consequence.
- Latent Learning — Learning that occurs without immediate reinforcement or awareness.
- Cognitive Map — Mental representation of the layout of one’s environment.
- Mirror Neurons — Brain cells activated by both performing and observing the same action.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment and its significance.
- Compare and contrast classical, operant, and observational learning.
- Reflect on personal examples of learning by observation or modeling.