Learning 213Observational Learning
Observational learning is the learning of new behavior through watching the actions of
a model (someone else who is doing that behavior). Sometimes that behavior is desirable,
and sometimes it is not, as the next section describes.
Bandura and the Bobo Doll
- 13 Describe the process of observational learning.
Albert Bandura’s classic study in observational learning involved having a preschool child
in a room in which the experimenter and a model interacted with toys in the room in front
of the child (Bandura et al., 1961). In one condition, the model interacted with the toys in
a nonaggressive manner, completely ignoring the presence of a “Bobo” doll (a punch-bag
doll in the shape of a clown). In another condition, the model became very aggressive with
the doll, kicking it and yelling at it, throwing it in the air and hitting it with a hammer.
When each child was left alone in the room and had the opportunity to play with
the toys, a camera filming through a one-way mirror caught the children who were
exposed to the aggressive model beating up on the Bobo doll, in exact imitation of the
model (see Figure 5. 12 ). The children who saw the model ignore the doll did not act
aggressively toward the toy. Obviously, the aggressive children had learned their aggres-
sive actions from merely watching the model—with no reinforcement necessary. The
fact that learning can take place without actual performance (a kind of latent learning) is
called learning/performance distinction.
Ah, but would that child have imitated the model if the model
had been punished? Wouldn’t the consequences of the model’s
behavior make a difference?In later studies, Bandura showed a film of a model beating up the Bobo doll. In
one condition, the children saw the model rewarded afterward. In another, the model
was punished. When placed in the room with toys, the children in the first group beat
up the doll, but the children in the second group did not. But when Bandura told the
children in the second group that he would give them a reward if they could show him
Practice Quiz How much do you remember?
Pick the best answer.
- In Tolman’s maze study, the fact that the group of rats receiving
reinforcement only after day 10 of the study solved the maze far
more quickly than did the rats who had been reinforced from the
first day can be interpreted to mean that these particular rats
a. were much smarter than the other rats.
b. had already learned the maze in the first 9 days.
c. had the opportunity to cheat by watching the other rats.
d. were very hungry and, therefore, learned much more quickly. - Lisa’s parents have decided to take a 3-week trip to Europe. Con-
sequently, Lisa’s mother will not be able to make her famous pies
for the upcoming bake sale. When her mother encourages Lisa to
bake the pies herself, Lisa panics at first, but then she finds that she
knows how to put the recipe together. Her ability to prepare the rec-
ipe is an example of
a. latent learning. c. insight learning.
b. learned helplessness. d. discovery learning.
3. Which theory is commonly referred to as the “aha!” phenomenon?
a. Tolman’s latent learning theory
b. Köhler’s insight theory
c. Seligman’s learned helplessness theory
d. Bandura’s observational learning
4. Research by Steven Maier suggests that learned helplessness may
be due to a higher-level region of the brain known as the ___,
which helps subjects determine what is controllable.
a. amygdala
b. hippocampus
c. dorsal raphe nucleus
d. ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)
observational learning
learning new behavior by watching a
model perform that behavior.learning/performance distinction
referring to the observation that learn-
ing can take place without actual per-
formance of the learned behavior.