Brief explanation and classroom application of Albert Bandura's social learning theory.

1. Albert Bandura
Social Learning Theory
By: Ida Fehrenbach

2. About Albert Bandura
• Born on December 4, 1925
• Canadian, American
• Studied at University of British
Columbia and University of
Iowa. Researched and taught
at Stanford University.
• Elected president of American
Psychological Association in
1974
• Famous for research on social
learning theories

3. What is social learning?
 Remember the saying monkey see monkey do? Same
concept!
 Observational learning: Watching actions performed either
in a form of media of in real life then mimicking the
observed behavior.
 Bandura’s concept of regulation of human behavior is found
in the diagram of triadic reciprocal causation.
Behavioral, cognitive and environmental factors all
influence learning behavior.

4. Research Experiments
 Bobo the clown
 Boys and girls watched a video of a
person performing violent acts on a
blowup clown named Bobo. Use of
kicking, punching, and hammering
were modeled.
 When children were then left alone
with the same blowup clown they
performed the same behaviors they
had observed.
 Watch Bandura and the Bobo
experiement

5. Still Images from Bobo experiment

6. What this means for
educators
• Model appropriate behaviors for a
school environment, realize that your
students are watching you constantly.
• Watch and listen critically to
audiovisuals before using in class.
• Do not underestimate how quickly
children learn from what they
observe!
• A funny example...

7. Key Concept: Self-Efficacy
 A person’s belief that they can successfully perform
behaviors that will produce desired effects. Judgment
of personal capacity.
 Typically people will not try to do things they do not
believe they can do.
 Self concept arises from past accomplishments.
 Contribute to academic confidence and success.

8. What this means for educators
 It is important to foster the development of self-
efficacy.
 Create a sense of empowerment in the classroom.
 Challenge students, and always maintain confidence in
their abilities to rise above challenges. Tell them this!
 Celebrate and acknowledge when children perform to
the best of their ability and conquer challenges.

9. Applying Bandura’s theories in
the classroom
 Carefully select audiovisuals that are to be used in the
classroom.
 Create a sense of collective-efficacy by emphasizing
team work.
 Set goals for students to accomplish, have them keep a
record of these accomplishments. Once a month take
the record out and celebrate their hard work.
 Incorporate technology by putting the students'
challenges and accomplishments online on the class
website so they can show their friends and family.

10. Works Cited
Engler, Barbara. Personality Theories: An Introduction.
Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Print.
Shelly, Gary B., Glenda A. Gunter, and Randolph E. Gunter.
Teachers Discovering Computers: Integrating
Technology in a Connected World. Boston, MA:
Course Technology Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.