Social Learning in Children

Social Learning Theory

• The social learning theory was developed by Albert Bandura. Building on the principles of classical and operant conditioning theories developed by John Watson and B.F. Skinner, which proposed children learn through reinforcement of desired behaviors and punishment of undesired behaviors, social learning adds the idea that children also learn through observation and modeling. Bandura emphasized that children do not always require reinforcement or punishment to acquire new behaviors or skills, learning them instead by observing the behavior and others and thinking about how that behavior was reinforced or punished. Children will then model their behavior after the observe behavior that received reinforcement and avoid behavior that received punishment. This type of learning requires social interactions and settings.

Moral Development

• The social learning theory can be applied to the development of moral behaviors. As children grow and learn, the development of particular morals can be traced to those that are encountered in their particular environments. Because children learn through imitation and modeling, the behaviors and attitudes of the adults around them shape the behaviors and attitudes a child learns, including morals. For example, altruistic behavior, which is motivated by concern for another or by internal values and goals, can be influenced by what a child observed in adults. If the adult consistently models altruistic behavior, the child, through imitation, will pick up the behavior.

Self-Regulation

• Self regulation--the ability to control your own behavior, emotions or thoughts and to change them to meet the demands of the situation--develops with the aid of social learning. Children learn specific strategies for self-regulation through the process of modeling, observing and imitating the behavior of others. A child may learn how to resist interference while completing a task by observing another do so through redirecting attention to some aspect of the task at hand.

Language Development

• The social learning theory takes the form of the learning theory when it comes to language development. The same principles of learning are applied, however, combined directly with operant learning. In the instance of language development, skills are learning through shaping, imitation and modeling. Shaping is the selective reinforcement of certain behaviors, in this case sounds and words. For example, a child babbling produces a sound similar to "mama," and the sound is reinforced with praise and the adult repeating "mama." Imitation and modeling can be found in repetition of words and phrases by the adult (modeling) until the child can mimic the sounds well enough to receive reinforcement.

Gender Development

• Gender development, or gender intensification, is the process by which a child conforms more and more to gender stereotypes in behavior, emotions and activities. The role of social learning in this instance can be considerable. Direct reinforcement of "gender appropriate" behaviors ofter begins at an early age, with girls being dressed up and encouraged to play with dolls, while boys are encourage to play at more aggressive activities, like throwing a ball or riding a bike. Gender development is also influenced by the differential reinforcements, which are more subtle, such as girls receiving more supportive and directive language from adults than boys. Observation also plays a major role in gender development, as girls and boys are given examples of what is seen as appropriate in the actions of parents, older siblings, even the media.