Observational Learning in Childhood - Free Research Paper Sample

Introduction

Observational learning is a type of learning that involves watching others, holding the information, and then repeating the behavior as observed. This type of study is, at times, referred to as shaping, modeling, and vicarious reinforcement, and it can happen in life at any point. However, it mostly occurs to children during their young age because that is the time when they learn from figures and their peers in life. The children, therefore, end up learning a lot from their parents and other people (caregivers), which helps them learn how to behave as well as respond to things in life. Therefore, observational learning plays a significant role in the process of socialization in all places. Education of this type is the most common to both adults and children as it the one mostly being used in societies and other areas. However, the learning method has also been proven to be very efficient for animals, and that is where the phrase "monkey see, monkey do" arises.

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That is through imitating what humans or other animals do, and they also do the same, which is very common with animals like monkeys and chimpanzees. The theory was brought forth by Albert Bandura, and it is related to learning theories due to the fact that it describes how people learn others and then imitate what they observed (Nabavi, 2012). It is, therefore, a learning theory as it goes further to explain how people receive knowledge and end up utilizing it at some point later. The following paragraphs, therefore, address observational learning theory while covering the article's motivation and learning.

Description of the Study

The theory discussed is mostly associated with Bandura's social learning theory, as it emphasizes the significance of Observational learning because it is primarily environmental factors instead of internal forces. Through Albert Bandura's study, we learn that when children observe others, they end up learning various behavior forms, including; sharing, aggression, social interaction, and even gratification. There have been various following Bandura, and they have also detailed that social learning is based on observation, and it is a complex process involving three stages. These stages include; exposure to peoples' responses, acquisition of what one sees, and the consequent acceptance of the acts that guide a person's behavior. Therefore, this article is based on social learning theories.

Major Learning Theory

The major learning theory associated with observational learning is Cognitive psychology (Nabavi, 2012). Cognitive psychology refers to the study of one’s mind as the processor of information, thereby trying to build on cognitive models. These models include; observation, thinking, attention, retention, language, and realization. The theory is vital and key as it covers everything regarding observational learning, including important things like conditions that support the study. Therefore, it is the most effective and the best to use when analyzing and researching this topic. From the study, we also learn that this type of theory incorporates the majority of the necessary things towards carrying out observational learning and the stages involved. These stages determine whether one will remember what they have observed and practice it on their own, which is explained in theory determined. Thus, the approach becomes the most effective.

Research Design

In carrying out this research, Causal-comparative design was used. This is because; it is the best design that tries to find relationships that exist between dependent and independent things after a specific action has occurred. The system's main aim is to identify whether a particular variable affected the other variable's output or outcome by comparing two or even more individuals. There is also a discussion of the possible benefits, the method, criticism, and constraints associated with the design. The design favors this kind of research because we are trying to determine people's learning behavior by spotting others' actions. Therefore, it is the best design towards achieving the research's main aim, which is to determine how models and other individual factors affect the other person's environment, cognition, and behavior. That is towards Bandura’s claims that children constantly acquire desirable and undesirable deeds due to observational learning.

Methodology of Conducting the Study

He does that by demonstrating a scenario where one group of children is placed in an aggressive environment, and they end acting the same. The other group and the control group are also positioned in a passive role model situation, and they end up showing no type of aggression. He does that through what is referred to as the Bobo doll experiment (Zafar, & Chaudhary, 2018). The Bobo doll methodology of research was carried out with the aid of two separate groups. The first group was filmed while physically attacking the doll, which is presented in the form of an inflated toy that has a rounded bottom, which pops when knocked down. In this case, the student punched the doll repeatedly while yelling "sockeroo," thereby kicking at it and hitting it hard with a hammer. The second group consisted of a student and a number of children who observed the student interacting with the doll by being so lovely to it. To determine the end result of the study, Bandura’s methodology of research was very vital. However, Bandura went ahead to state that there had to be a close observation of some specific conditions for the method to function effectively.

These conditions included attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation (Bandura, 2017). In referring to attention, he stated that for any organism to learn something from a model, there had to be close attention paid to the model and their behavior. Therefore, one has to avoid things that might disrupt and make them lose attention. These things include being sleepy, sick, or distracted by anything that might make them not to learn the behavior and imitate it later. Retention refers to being able to recall the witnessed behavior. The factor also ensures that one has the ability to remember what is observed, and it is all dependent on the power of the observer to code and structure information in a way that is easy to remember. Therefore, for one to imitate the model, they have to remember what was done correctly. The third factor on reproduction ensures that one has the ability, both physical and mental, to copy the behavior observed. Bandura's factor is very vital as it is where everything lies in being able to reciprocate what the model does.

However, the observer needs to be physically and intellectually able to produce the required action as it may, at times, involve various skills to carry out the task. The last factor stated by Bandura is that of motivation. In the factor, an observer needs to have reason so as to recreate the act. In this case, a lack of inspiration means that one will not be able to imitate the behavior regardless of the attention, retention, and reproduction. This is because; there is nothing that can overcome one’s lack of motivation to do something. There are, however, some motivating factors that can help one carry out the task. They include; being offered with an enticement, witnessing the model getting reinforcement for the performance, and many other factors that can motivate one properly. The aspects can be positive and negative depending on the situation, and the nature of motivation one is looking forward to getting. These are, therefore, the most essential things that necessitate the complete application of the methodology that Bandura used during his research. Due to that, we also learn that the article is clearly focused on motivation and learning theories, which helps us a lot to properly discern and understand the essay as well as the main aims of the research.

Results

The results gathered from this research varied in both the first and the second scenarios presented by Bandura. From the first instance, it was noted that the children ended up imitating all that the student did with the Bobo doll. That is after they were put in a room with the dolly and recorded so as to determine and capture what they would do with the toy. The children were taped imitating what the student did, and there were also times when they appeared to be more aggressive with the doll. The second group of the kids that watched the student acting friendly with the dolly did not imitate anything from the model. When rated in terms of the degree of aggressiveness both physically and verbally, the general end results of this research ended up yielding more results for kids in aggressive action model groups. That is compared to those in non-aggressive behavior groups. Due to the results identified, the author determined that when a model is in a predetermined environment, the children's behavior will be affected. Due to this, specific actions that were forgotten can, at times, be reignited and come into play again. The primary kind of behavior, in this case, is the violent behavior through which the first group portrays, and the children.

Therefore, according to the research, it is true that real-life situations are affected through observation learning. These real-life instances include day to day things about people and what influences them.

Conclusion

The author concludes the research by stating that social learning is majorly based on observation, which is a very complicated process. That is in regard to the real world where there has to be publicity of others, attainment of what one sees, and the consequent acceptance of the act modeled. These are the three main stages that Bandura concludes by stating and how they affect observational learning. However, there are two major theories that oppose each other in this case. The first theory to be propagated explains that viewing violence results in a certain kind of drive that lessens one's purpose. The other theory asserts that viewing merely increases one's endeavor to do things. However, the theory ultimately argues and goes against Bandura's work of research on the matter because he believes that observation consequently affects how an individual behaves after witnessing something.