Which concept is closely related to the idea of observational learning?

The concept closely related to observational learning is modeling. Observational learning, a term popularized by Albert Bandura, refers to the process by which individuals learn by watching others and imitating their behaviors. Modeling is a key mechanism of observational learning—the individual observes a model demonstrating a behavior and then mimics or adopts that behavior themselves. This process emphasizes the importance of social influence, as individuals can acquire new skills or modify their behavior without direct experience, simply by observing the actions of others.

In the context of psychology, this highlights the role of social learning in human development, illustrating how environments and relationships can shape behavior through observation rather than through direct reinforcement or punishment. This distinguishes observational learning from classical conditioning, which focuses on associating stimuli, and operant conditioning, which involves learning through consequences. Insight learning, on the other hand, refers to a sudden realization or understanding of a problem's solution, which does not necessarily involve observation of others.