Social Cognitive Theory (Explained in 3 Minutes)

- [Instructor] Social cognitive theory

is a theory that explains how people learn

by observing others, interacting
with their environment,

and experiencing the
consequences of their actions.

It suggests that learning happens

not only through direct experience,

but also by watching the
behaviors and outcomes of others.

Known as observational learning,

this theory highlights the importance

of both individual thoughts

and social interactions
in shaping behaviors.

The theory was developed by
psychologist Albert Bandura

in the 1960s.

It originally grew out of
earlier behaviorist theories

that focused on how people learn

through reinforcement and punishment.

However, Bandura believed
that this view was too limited

as it ignored the role of thinking

and social interactions in learning.

His famous Bobo doll experiment

showed that children could
learn aggressive behavior

just by watching others

without directly experiencing
any consequences.

This led him to propose

that observation, imitation, and modeling

were key aspects of how people learn,

which became the foundation
for social cognitive theory.

Social cognitive theory
focuses on the idea

that behavior is influenced
by three factors,

personal factors like
thoughts and beliefs,

environmental factors such as
surroundings and other people,

and behavior itself.

These three factors interact in a process

called reciprocal determinism,

where each one affects the others.

For example, a person might have a belief

about their ability to
succeed, personal factor,

which influences how they act, behavior,

and this in turn could change

how others respond to them, environment.

One common example of
social cognitive theory

is learning by imitation.

If a student sees a classmate praised

for participating in class,

they might be more likely
to participate themselves.

In sports, athletes often
watch videos of other players

to learn new skills.

Observing someone else's
success or failure

can lead to a change in behavior,

even if the person hasn't
personally experienced

the same situation.

A strength of social cognitive theory is

that it takes into account the influence

of social interactions and
environment on learning.

Unlike theories that focus
only on internal thoughts

or direct experience,

social cognitive theory recognizes

that people can learn by observing others.

This makes it more flexible and realistic

as it applies to a wide
range of situations,

including schools, workplaces, and homes.

However, social cognitive
theory has some weaknesses.

One criticism is that
it might underestimate

the role of biological
factors in behavior.

For example, it doesn't always account

for how genetics or brain
chemistry might influence

how a person learns or behaves.

Another criticism is that it can be hard

to measure the interactions

between personal, behavioral,
and environmental factors,

making it difficult to predict behavior

in certain situations.

A related educational theory

is Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory.

To learn about Vygotsky,
watch this video now.