Social Cognitive Theory - Utilized both in
Psychology and Communications posits that portions of an individual‘s knowledge
acquisition can be directly related to observing others within the context of
social interactions, experiences, and outside media influences.
An important point in the social cognitive
theory is that the learner‘s behavior is guided by cognitive processes rather
than formed or shaped by reinforced practice. Four component parts are
responsible for the learning and performance acquisition. These are:
Attentional
processes
•
Observer
characteristics are perceptual or cognitive capacities, arousal level and past
performance.
•
Event
characteristics are relevance, affective valence, complexity, functional value,
model’s characteristics and Intrinsic rewards.
Retention processes
• Observer
characteristics are cognitive skills
• Event
characteristics are cognitive organization and rehearsal
Motor
reproduction process
•
Observer
characteristics are physical capabilities and sub skill mastery
•
Event
characteristics are selection and organization of responses with feedback
Motivational
processes
•
Observer
characteristics are incentive preference, social bias and internal standards
•
Event
characteristics are external, self and vivacious reinforcement
Albert Bandura(Social Cognitive Theory)
•
Bandura
bases his theory on the acquisition of complex behaviors on a triangular
diagram illustrating the interactive effect of various factors. These three
factors are behavior (B), the environment (E), and the internal events that
influence perceptions and actions. (P). the relationship between these three
factors is known as reciprocal determinism.
•
Bandura
identified three types of reinforces of behavior. These were direct
reinforcement, vicarious reinforcement and self-reinforcement. Direct
reinforcement would be directly experienced by the learner. Vicarious
reinforcement would be observed to be consequences of the behavior of the
model. Self-reinforcement would be feelings of satisfaction or displeasure for
behavior gauged by personal performance standards.
•
Bandura
describes three types of modeling stimuli, which are live models, symbolic
models, and verbal descriptions or instructions. Of these three, in American
society, the greatest range of exposure is in the form of symbolic models
through mass media.
•
In
Bandura‘s later work he introduces two other aspects to his Social Learning
Theory. These are his work on the self-regulatory system and self-efficacy. In
the area of self-regulatory system/ self-evaluative behaviors he said that this
system us based upon cognitive sub processes that: PERCEIVE, EVALUATE and
REGULATE BEHAVIOR