What is observation learning ? Stages of Bandura's Bobo doll experiment, factors that influenced observational learning, stages of observational learning,

 What is Observation learning :-

• Observation learning is the learning of a new behavior through watching the actions of a model [ someone else who is doing that behavior ]. Someone that behavior is desirable , and sometimes it is not.
• Observational learning is classified as a form of social learning  . Instead of other forms of learning like classical conditioning and operant conditioning, no reinforcement is required . Instead, social models such as a parent, teacher, sibling or a friend are required for observational learning. 

Bandura- Bobo Doll Experiment 

Stage 1 : Modeling 

• In the experimental conditions children were individually shown into a room containing toys and played with some potato prints and pictures in a corner for 10 minutes while either.
• 24 children [ 12 boys and 12 girls ] watched a male or female model behaving aggressively towards a toy called a " Bobo doll ". The adults attacked the Bobo doll in a distinctive manner- they used a hammer in some cases, and in others threw the doll in the air and shouted " Pow, Boom." 
• Another 24 children [ 12 boys and 12 girls ] were exposed to a non-aggressive model who played in a quiet and subdued manner for 10 minutes [ playing with a tinker toy set and ignoring the bobo-doll].
• The final 24 children [ 12 boys and 12 girls ] were used as a control group and not exposed to any model at all.

Stage 2 : Aggression Arousal

• All the children [ including the control group ] were subjected to  'mild aggression arousal.' Each child was [ separately ] taken to a room with relatively attractive toys.
• As soon as the child started to play with the toys, the experimenter told the child that these were the experimenter's very best toys and she had decided to reserve them for the other children.

Stage 3 : Test for Delayed Imitation

• [ Imitative aggression, partial imitation, no imitation ]
• The next room contained some aggressive toys and some non-aggressive toys. The non- aggressive toys included a tea set, crayons, three bears and plastic farm animals. The aggressive toys included a mallet and peg board, dart guns, and a 3 foot doll.
• The child was in the room for 20 minutes, and their behavior was observed and rated through a one-way mirror. Observations were made at 5- second intervals, therefore, giving 240 response units for each child.
• Other behaviors that didn't imitate that of the model were also recorded e.g., punching the Bobo Doll on the nose.

Results :-

• Children who observed the aggressive model made far more imitative aggressive responses than these who were in the non-aggressive or control groups.
• There was more partial and non-imitative aggression among those children who had observed aggressive behavior, although the difference for non-imitative aggression was small.
• The girls in the aggressive model condition also showed more physical aggressive responses if the model was male, but more verbal aggressive responses if the model was female. However, the exception to this general pattern was the observation of how often they punched bobo, and in this case the effects of gender were reversed.
• Boys were more likely to imitate same -sex models than girls. The evidence for girls imitating same-sex models is not strong.
• Boys imitated more physically aggressive acts than girls. There was little difference in the verbal aggression between boys and girls.

Conclusion :-

• The findings support Bandura's [1977 ] Social Learning theory. That is, children learn social behavior such as aggression through the process of observation learning through watching the behavior of another person. 

Stages of Observational learning :- 

• Attention :- Attention is the key for observers, as without being attentive to their surrounding they won't be able to replicate the behavior. Also, observer's expectations and emotional arousal toward the particular action also plays a key role.
• Retention / Memory :- Simply observing a behavior is not enough. The observer should also be able to remember or rehearse the particulars action both physically and mentally. This depends on the observer's ability to structure and code information.
• Motor / Initiation :- After observation, the observer should also be able to reproduce the behavior both physically and intellectually.
• Motivation :- Motivation is another important aspect of learning. Without motivation, the individual is not able to produce learned behavior.

Factors that influenced observational learning. 

Bandura also came up certain factors that are more likely to increase the chances of a behavior being imitated. They are:-

• Behaviors observed from people who are warm and nurturing towards the observer.
• If the behavior is rewarded
• When imitating behaviors has been rewarding in the past 
• Lack of confidence in one's own abilities or knowledge 
• When behaviors are executed by authority figures [ ideal ] 
• Like minded people of same age and sex
• Behaviors from people who are of higher social status, and whom we admire
• When the situation is confusing, unfamiliar or ambiguous, imitating other's behavior seems like the safest bet.