Chapter 16: Albert Bandura 🧠

Albert Bandura 🧠

• Social Learning Theory: learning happens by observing, imitation, reinforcement, punishment
• Aggression is learned, not inherited ⚔️
• Reinforcements for aggression: tension reduction, money 💵, praise 👍, self-esteem boost 🌟

General Principles 📚

1. People learn by watching others and results of their actions 👀
2. Learning can occur without immediate behavior change
3. Cognition matters: knowing rewards/punishments affects actions 💡
4. Bridges behaviorist + cognitive theories

Modeling 🎭

• Models: students, teachers, celebrities, TV characters
• Observer imitates if model is reinforced
• Self-modeling: watching videos of yourself to improve

Factors for Modeling 🔑

1. Attention – focus on model 👀
2. Retention – remember what is observed 📝
3. Motor reproduction – ability to replicate ✋
4. Motivation – desire to perform behavior 💪

Types of Models 👫

• Live model: real person demonstrating
• Symbolic model: media, TV, videos

Behaviors Learned 🧩

• Academic skills, bravery, aggression, moral thinking
• Children more aggressive after observing violent models 🏠⚔️
• Bullies often from aggressive homes or harsh punishment

Vicarious Learning 🔄

• Influenced by similarity, prestige, observability of model
• Vicarious Reinforcement: imitate if model rewarded 🏆
• Vicarious Punishment: avoid behavior if model punished ⚡

Criticisms ❌

• Ignores books/literature’s role in empathy
• Ignores biology: genetics, brain, autonomic responses
• Rejects classical/operant conditioning; ignores biological preparedness

Humanistic Model (Carl Rogers) 🌱

• Humans responsible for own happiness, growth, self-actualization
• Five postulates (Bugental, 1964):
1. Cannot reduce humans to parts
2. Unique human context
3. Consciousness includes social self-awareness
4. Humans have choices/responsibilities
5. Humans intentional, seek meaning, creativity ✨
• Humans grow naturally; controlling others opposed

Violence According to Humanistic Perspective ⚖️

• Aggression arises when society blocks growth
• Violence = reaction to societal blockage
• Society’s aggression can internalize and redirect at others

Education Perspective 🎓

• Freedom in learning → non-violent, peaceful adults
• Children choosing curriculum/targets grow positively

Client-Centered Therapy 💖

• Growth occurs with:
• Congruence: therapist’s honesty, genuineness
• Unconditional Positive Regard: accepting client fully 🙏
• Empathy: understanding client’s feelings ❤️
• Mental illness often from lack of love in childhood
• Therapist provides care, feedback, congruence to overcome past environment patterns