Psychology Handbook

Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory

Psy 620: Learning and Cognition

June 08, 2018

Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory

The behaviorist and social learning theory explain the processes that take place when one is learning. According to the behaviorism theory, learning takes place as a result of the interaction that one has with the environment. Environmental factors are the main influences of individual behavior, as the mind is blank at birth. On the other hand, the social learning theory is based on the assumption that people learn by observing other people. People model their behavior according to what they see in other people. It is important to understand both theories as this can aid the identification of the most effective ways of both teaching and learning throughout my future ambitions in Psychology.

Annotated Bibliography

Wang, V. (2012). Understanding and Promoting Learning Theories. International Forum of Teaching and Studies, 8(2).

Wang (2012), analyzes different learning theories and the application to the everyday learning environment. An analysis of both behaviorist, as well as social learning theories, is made with regards to how they can be used to define the specific roles that students and teachers should play in the learning process. The findings of the study indicate that all learning theories have an underlying model that can be used to improve learning processes in the classroom. The study proposes a careful analysis of each theory, which can shed light on the different situations that are likely to be experienced in the course of learning, which can aid in the identification of effective ways of improving the learning process.

Brauer, J., & Tittle, C. (2012). Social learning theory and human reinforcement. Sociological Spectrum, 32(2), 157-177.

Brauer and Tittle (2012) analyze the relationship between social learning theory and reinforcement. The study argues that reinforcement is a key requirement in learning which is usually ignored by proponents of the social learning theory. For one to be able to learn successfully, there has to be repeated reinforcement of concepts learned. The social learning theory, on the other hand, describes learning as a process that is solely dependent on the ability to observe others and model one behavior according to what one sees. The study concludes that the effectiveness of the social learning theory can be improved by an analysis of the role of reinforcement.

Kay, D., & Kibble, J. (2016). Learning theories 101: application to everyday teaching and scholarship. Advances in physiology education, 40, 17-25.

Kay and Kibble (2016), analyze the application of different learning theories to the teaching environment. Findings of the study indicate that the learning process can be significantly improved if the core principles of different learning theories were applied when constructing the curriculum for different courses. By analyzing the models proposed by different theories it is possible to gain a better understanding of the roles that a teacher, as well as the student, are required to play in the learning environment. This can be used as a basis of improving the learning process by identifying ways through which teachers and students can best play their roles.

Chavis, A. (2012). Social learning theory and behavioral therapy: Considering human behaviors within the social and cultural context of individuals and families. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 22(1).

Chavis (2012), analyzes ways through which the social learning theory can be used to influence behaviors and as a result enable individuals to adopt positive behaviors. The social learning theory proposes that individuals learn by observing other people. The study proposes using this theory in behavioral therapy bu getting people to model positive behaviors that they see in other people. The study believes that certain types of behaviors can be promoted in different contexts, which helps people in those contexts to adopt positive behaviors and at the same time abandon negative behaviors. The proposed model can be used as a treatment option for people in need of behavioral therapy.

Heyes, C. (2012). What's social about social learning? Journal of Comparative Psychology, 126(2).

Heyes (2012), analyzes the meaning of the word social as used in the social learning theory. according to the study, social activity is not necessary for one to learn from others, as they can simply observe without making any contact. This has been observed in other animal species, where learning takes place through observation and without any direct contact. According to the study, social learning can take place simply through observation, and the modeling of the theory in real life situation, therefore, it does not have to involve the inclusion of social contact, as learning will still be able to take place anyway. For one to learn by observation, they need to be both motivated by what they are observing, understand what is happening and have the desire to apply it in their own lives. Social learning processes in most educational contexts can, therefore, be improved through the identification of materials that learners are genuinely interested in and that they are motivated to learn about, which improves the effectiveness of the learning process, even in the absence direct contact.

Conclusion

Both the social learning as well as the behaviorism theories can be directly applied in most learning processes. A detailed analysis of the two theories and what they entail can, therefore, aid in the identification of effective learning models that can be applied in everyday learning. Using the social learning theory, learners can be influenced to learn certain concepts or behaviors through observation, while environmental factors can be designed to influence learners perceptions of different subjects. It is therefore important to analyze both learning theories in depth and identify ways through which they can be implemented in everyday learning.

References Brauer, J., & Tittle, C. (2012). Social learning theory and human reinforcement. Sociological Spectrum, 32(2), 157-177. Chavis, A. (2012). Social learning theory and behavioral therapy: Considering human behaviors within the social and cultural context of individuals and families. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 22(1). Heyes, C. (2012). What's social about social learning? Journal of Comparative Psychology, 126(2). Kay, D., & Kibble, J. (2016). Learning theories 101: application to everyday teaching and scholarship. Advances in physiology education, 40, 17-25.

Wang, V. C. X. (2012). Understanding and Promoting Learning Theories. International Forum

of Teaching & Studies, 8(2), 5.