What did Albert Bandura propose in his Social Learning Theory?

Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory emphasizes the significant role that observation plays in the learning process. Bandura proposed that individuals, particularly children, learn behaviors not solely through direct experience or reinforcement but also by observing others. This can include watching parents, peers, or media figures perform actions and then imitating those behaviors.

The key components of this theory are concepts such as modeling, where individuals see and replicate the behaviors of others, imitation, which is the act of reproducing those behaviors, and the understanding of the consequences of those behaviors through vicarious reinforcement or punishment. This highlights that learning is a social process and occurs in a social context, where individuals can acquire new skills and knowledge without direct teaching. Bandura's work helped shift the understanding of learning from a purely individual experience to one that can be influenced by social interactions and environmental contexts.