fei75766_ch17_534-568.indd 538  02/24/20 10:49 AM
Part VI    Learning-Cognitive Theories538
Observational Learning
Bandura believes thatobservation allows people tolearn without performing any
behavior. People observe natural phenomena, plants, animals, waterfalls, themotion 
ofthemoon andstars, andsoforth; butespecially important tosocial cognitive the-
oryistheassumption thattheylearn through observing thebehavior ofother people. 
Inthisrespect, Bandura differs from Skinner, whoheldthatenactive behavior isthe
basic datum ofpsychological science. Healsodeparts from Skinner inhisbelief that
reinforcement isnotessential tolearning. Although reinforcement facilitates learn -
ing,Bandura saysthatitisnotanecessary condition forit.People canlearn, for
example, byobserving models being reinforced.
Bandura (1986, 2003) believes thatobservational learning ismuch more efficient 
thanlearning through direct experience. Byobserving other people, humans arespared 
countless responses thatmight befollowed bypunishment orbynoreinforcement. 
Children observe characters ontelevision, forexample, andrepeat what theyhearor
see;theyneednotenact random behaviors, hoping thatsome ofthem willberewarded.
Modeling
Thecoreofobservational learning ismodeling. Learning through modeling involves 
adding andsubtracting from theobserved behavior andgeneralizing from oneobser -
vation toanother. Inother words, modeling involves cognitive processes andisnot
simply mimicry orimitation. Itismore thanmatching theactions ofanother; it
involves symbolically representing information andstoring itforuseatafuture time
(Bandura, 1986, 1994).
Modeling isaneffective wayoflearning anewskill.Marc Romanelli/Blend Images LLC
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