Observational learning belongs to social learning theory in educational psychology. Observational learning refers to the learning process in which individuals obtain behavioral responses by observing other people's behaviors and their reinforcement results. American psychologist A. Bandura made a systematic theoretical study on this learning model for the first time, which constitutes one of the organic components of his theoretical system of social learning.

A complete observational learning process consists of four sub-processes: attention, retention, output and motivation, and each sub-process is influenced or restricted by many different factors. Compared with trial-and-error learning, observational learning has greater adaptive value, so it is a more common and effective learning mode in human real social life.

Extended data:

Bandura summarized the main features of social learning theory as follows:

1, emphasizing that human behavior is the product of the interaction between internal processes and external influences.

2. Emphasize that people have extraordinary energy to use symbols.

3. Emphasize that people have the energy of self-regulation.

4. Emphasize that people's thoughts, feelings and behaviors are not only influenced by direct experience, but also by observation.

This theory reflects the characteristics of human learning to some extent, but it is not enough to discuss cognitive factors and age characteristics.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Social Learning Theory