The Importance of the Social Learning Theory, Essay Example

Abstract

The focus of this research paper is to describe the importance of social learning theory by demonstrating its relevance across various situations, time periods, age groups, and cultures. This paper will begin by discussing a brief history and rationale behind the theory developed by Julian Rotter, Albert Bandura, and Robert Akers. It will then describe, in detail, the diverse application of the theory to the understanding and control of aggression, human resource management, children’s dental anxiety, and adolescent tobacco and alcohol use. It will conclude with an evaluation of the literature and suggestions for future research.

The Importance of Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory generally focuses on behaviors that are learned through modeling or imitation of behaviors observed in one’s environment. According to Gibson (2004), Julian Rotter’s 1954 social learning theory was based on expected outcomes combined with positive reinforcement and stated that these two factors largely determine whether a behavior is likely to occur. For example, if a child expects to be punished for bad behavior (perhaps by witnessing others being punished for similar behavior) or is actually punished for such behavior, the child would be unlikely to behave in such a manner due to the expectation of negative consequences.

According to Akers (2009), Burgess and Akers first applied social learning theory to criminal behavior in 1965. Their contention was that behavior is differentially reinforced according to its consequences. They labeled this new version of the theory “differential association reinforcement”. The basic premise of the theory, as it is related to criminal and deviant behavior, is that such behavior is increased when individuals associate with others who commit criminal behavior and observe desirable outcomes of the behavior. For example, if a child sees a local gang member doing drugs, stealing, and killing, and being respected by the community for this behavior, the child will be more likely to engage in similar behavior in the future.

According to Gibson (2004), Bandura’s 1977 application to social learning theory shifted the focus of observational learning toward a more cognitive approach and involved four basic elements: attention of the behavior, retention, behavior production, and motivation. That is, in order for a behavior to be imitated, the individual must first be attending to it, remember it, be able to reproduce it, and recognize the value in such reproduction.

Social learning theory has been and continues to be relevant to this day. Gibson (2004) contends that Rotter’s theory continues to be one of the most relevant theories in adult education literature. In addition, Akers (2009) states that since the inception of his “differential association reinforcement” theory, the theory has garnered widespread attention and has become one of the most widely recognized theories of crime and deviance. It is now well established in the literature of criminology and sociology and is recognized as the most practical theory for explaining all types of criminal behavior. Gibson (2004) also states that Bandura’s social learning theory has been broadly applied to learning situations that occur over an individual’s life span and is highly pertinent in the context of adult learning. Clearly, these theories continue to be applicable to various learning situations and have been shown to be relevant throughout the past six decades. The current paper will focus on how this theory continues to be pertinent today and how it has been applied to various situations and cultures.

Social Learning Theory and Aggression

According to Knutson’s (2007) analysis of Albert Bandura’s research, aggression is a result of the reaction types which people have learned for dealing with stressful situations. First of all, the most notorious source of aggression modeling is that demonstrated by the family. For example, there is a higher incidence of aggressive behavior in the families of delinquent boys as opposed to non-delinquent boys. In addition, an individual’s subculture has a significant effect on whether aggressive behavior is likely to occur. For example, in communities where aggression is positively regarded, higher rates of aggression are found. Finally, aggression is also learned through the mass media. Due to the vivid portrayal of violence which children are exposed to every day, it has also been demonstrated that children who watch the most aggressive TV are the most likely to behave in an aggressive manner.

Social Learning Theory and Human Resource Management

According to Gibson (2004), observational modeling techniques derived from social learning theory have also been applied to human resource management in a variety of companies. This method of learning involves presenting the job skill that must be acquired, having the trainee observe an appropriate model of behavior, discussing the efficacy of the action, practicing the behavior, and providing the trainee with feedback. For instance, American Target stores have incorporated such techniques as one component of their customer service training and it has also been used in managerial leadership training situations.

Social Learning Theory and Phobias

According to Do (2004), social learning theory has even been applied in the field of dentistry as a method of reducing dental anxiety in children. Do explains that the theory has been effective in explaining how children develop such phobias and that it has also been useful in combating these fears. For example, many children develop a fear of going to the dentist by observing other children who are fearful of the dentist or who have tantrums when visiting the dentist. The simple act of observing such a negative reaction could lead to the development of severe dental anxiety. However, developing an understanding of this process has allowed dental practitioners to treat dental anxiety using the same rationale used to understand the source of the fear. That is, dentists can intervene by showing the affected child another child undergoing dental treatment, either via video or real life simulation. The fearful child could observe the model child exhibiting coping behaviors, such as deep breathing and relaxation, and then witness the successful completion of the dental procedures.

This has been proven to be a successful method of decreasing children’s dental anxiety. For example, one study involved a group of children who were shown a 13 minute film of a child modeling a positive dental visit. Another group viewed a film unrelated to the modeling exercise. The group of children who watched the positive behavioral modeling video exhibited significantly less troublesome behavior during their own dental visit. Clearly, the application of social learning theory expands far beyond criminality, deviance, and aggression.

Social Learning Theory and Substance Use  

It appears clear that social learning theory is useful in explaining, teaching, understanding, and treating various types of behavior – from aggression and crime to dental anxiety. However, Akers and Jensen attempted to discover whether this theory is useful only in Western cultures or can be applied to cultures very different from those present in the West. They decided to study substance use in Korean adolescents and conducted a cross-cultural test of social learning, social bonding, and self control theories. The rationale behind the test choices was that these are the three theories most often applied by American criminologists.

They studied the attitudes of Korean youth – that is, their beliefs regarding what is appropriate or inappropriate substance use behavior in specific social situations. They also studied differential reinforcement – the effects of rewarding or desired outcomes compared with those of negative or undesired consequences. Aware that the most important factor in whether adolescents are likely to perform a behavior is whether it is socially reinforced, they also investigated the adolescents’ ideas regarding whether they thought they would gain approval or disapproval from their peers and parents for using substances such as alcohol and tobacco.

Their methodology included obtaining a large sample (1012 teens) from an urban South Korean area and asking them various questions using an anonymous self-report questionnaire. They were asked about their alcohol and tobacco use, their attitudes regarding drug use, how often their close friends use such substances, and what reaction they would expect from their parents and peers if they were to discover that they used alcohol or tobacco. The results of the study indicated that social learning theory explained 58% of the variance in the adolescent’s responses. Thus, it is strongly supported as an explanation for both drinking and smoking in urban Korean teenagers. The variance found was as high or higher than that found when similar tests were conducted using American adolescent samples.

Clearly, the idea that people view the behavior of others and imitate such behavior based on observed consequences is an idea that has survived the test of time. The social learning theory created by Rotter, Akers and Bandura has been successfully applied to multiple situations, individuals, age-groups, and cultures. The fact that social learning theory is an important one has been clearly demonstrated – it continues to play a significant role in current research and will, in all probability, continue to play a key role in future research as well. In keeping with Do’s (2004) research on alleviating dental anxiety using social learning theory, possible areas of future research could include investigation of the source of student writing and test-taking anxiety and methods of dealing with such issues.  This is a serious and pervasive problem affecting students of all disciplines, ages, and cultures and any progress toward a solution would be invaluable to the academic community.

References

Akers, R.L. (2009). Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

Akers, R.L., & Jensen, G.F. (2007). Social learning theory and the explanation of crime. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

Do, C. (2004). Applying social learning theory to children with dental anxiety. Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice, 15(1), 126-35.

Gibson, S.K. (2004). Social learning (cognitive) theory and implications for human resource development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 6(2), 193-210.

Knutson, J.F. (2007). The control of aggression: Implications from basic research. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.