Bandura’s Social Cognitive Learning

TheoryBy: Austin Conyers & Trent Hedlund

About the Theorist• Albert Bandura was born December 4, 1925.• 1949 – Graduated from the University of

British Columbia with a degree in Psychology.• 1952 – Received his Ph.D. in Clinical

Psychology from the University of Iowa.• 1953 – Began teaching at Stanford University.• 1974 – Served as President of the APA.• 1980 – Received the APA’s Award for

Distinguished Scientific Contributions.• 2004 - Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to

Psychology, American Psychological Association.

Social Cognitive Theory Vocab.• Social Cognitive Theory: examines people’s self-confidence in a

variety of settings, how confidence develops, and how it affects behavioral outcomes, such as persistence and effort.• Reciprocal Determinism, 3 Factors• Personal• Behavioral• Environmental

• Bobo Doll Study

Vocab. Continued• Mediated Responses: how events are interpreted cognitively before

responding.• Self-Efficacy & Outcome Expectancy:• Self-Efficacy or the degree to which an individual possesses confidence in her

or his ability to achieve a goal.• Not to be confused with Self-Esteem.

• Outcome Expectancy or the perceived relationship between performing a task successfully and receiving a specific outcome.

Ways of Learning• Enactive Learning• Learns by doing.

• Vicarious Learning• Observation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuKzmTG6Wp0

Vicarious Learning in the Classroom• Allocation of all resources• Allows for uninterrupted learning • Provides motivation the less skilled workers

Student and Teacher Efficacy• Student self efficacy is strongly related to critical classroom variables• The higher the self efficacy the more will and desire a student will posses. • The lower self efficacy the less likely a student will strive to meet the goals

and standards that are set out for them.

• Teacher efficacy• Those teachers that are more self efficacious are more likely to give praise • The teachers who aren’t lack self efficacy will give up on students in a similar

fashion to how students will give up on work.

Critiques of Social Cognitive Theory• The theory is too broad• The findings are still preliminary • Cannot be directly observed • Only focused on the now instead of the lifespan