Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionV. Learning Theories 16. Bandura: Social
Cognitive Theory(^488) © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
these people. Second, attractive models are more likely to be observed than unat-
tractive ones are—popular figures on television, in sports, or in movies are often closely
attended. Also, the nature of the behavior being modeled affects our attention—we
observe behavior that we think is important or valuable to us.
Representation In order for observation to lead to new response patterns, those
patterns must be symbolically represented in memory. Symbolic representation need
not be verbal, because some observations are retained in imagery and can be sum-
moned in the absence of the physical model. This process is especially important in
infancy when verbal skills are not yet developed.
Verbal coding, however, greatly speeds the process of observational learning.
With language we can verbally evaluate our behaviors and decide which ones we
wish to discard and which ones we desire to try. Verbal coding also helps us to re-
hearse the behavior symbolically: that is, to tell ourselves over and over again how
we will perform the behavior once given the chance. Rehearsal can also entail the
actual performance of the modeled response, and this rehearsal aids the retention
process.
Behavioral Production After attending to a model and retaining what we have ob-
served, we then produce the behavior. In converting cognitive representations into
appropriate actions, we must ask ourselves several questions about the behavior to
be modeled. First we ask, “How can I do this?” After symbolically rehearsing the rel-
evant responses, we try out our new behavior. While performing, we monitor our-
selves with the question “What am I doing?” Finally, we evaluate our performance
by asking, “Am I doing this right?” This last question is not always easy to answer,
especially if it pertains to a motor skill, such as ballet dancing or platform diving, in
which we cannot actually see ourselves. For this reason, some athletes use video
cameras to help them acquire or improve their motor skills.
Motivation Observational learning is most effective when learners are motivated
to perform the modeled behavior. Attention and representation can lead to the ac-
quisition of learning, but performance is facilitated by motivation to enact that par-
ticular behavior. Even though observation of others may teach us howto do some-
thing, we may have no desire to perform the necessary action. One person can watch
another use a power saw or run a vacuum cleaner and not be motivated to try either
activity. Most sidewalk superintendents have no wish to emulate the observed con-
struction worker.
Enactive Learning
Every response a person makes is followed by some consequence. Some of these
consequences are satisfying, some are dissatisfying, and others are simply not cog-
nitively attended and hence have little effect. Bandura believes that complex human
behavior can be learned when people think about and evaluate the consequences of
their behaviors.
The consequences of a response serve at least three functions. First, response
consequences inform us of the effects of our actions. We can retain this information
482 Part V Learning Theories