Social Science and Learning

Author is SPED -Teacher --oOo-The I at Sta. Cruz ES, Lubao West District Wilma A. Diwa

Bandura(1997) introduced the idea that learning can occur through mere observation and does not require the production of a response. Accordingly, learning is a social phenomenon where observed behavior and its consequences serve as a model for action and is rehearsed symbolically prior to enacting the the behavior overtly.

Social learning theory acknowledges that, in addition to behavior, the individual learnes is engaged in covert, cognitive, and motivational process. Motivation is in part derived through observing the positive and negative outcomes of other people’s behavior. This is born out by result of experiments thatindicate individuals are more likely to engage in an observed behavior if the outcome of the model’s behavior is valued.

From a social learning perspective, the power of social models cannot be underestimated. In addition to learning specific behaviors from watching others, individuals learn to recognize ethe context in which the behavior occurs and the consequences associated with the behavior. Furthermore, when individuals observe behaviors that are followed by positive outcomes, these behaviors are more rapidly incorporated into the learner’s bearner’s knowledge base, as they become the object of reproduction through mental rehearsal. We turn next to the concept of self-efficacy, which links feelings of confidence to effective learning and performance.((Garcia , Hoelscher,2008)

--oOo-The author is Teacher III at Araling Panlipunan Sta Cruz High Integrated School, Sta. Cruz, Lubao