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Social Cognitive Theory, And Social Cognitive Theory

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Social cognitive theory, also known as social learning theory, “a theory of learning that focuses on changes in behaviour that result from observing others” (Bandura 2001 as cited in Eggen,Kauchak, 2013). According to Simons(1994, p.43) Social learning Theory is the view of psychologists who emphasize that behaviour is learned through experiences with the environment and that cognitive factors influence learning. Albert Bandura is the theorist behind this psychological theory. According to a survey conducted in 2002, Bandura was ranked as the third most frequently cited psychologist of all time (Eggen,Kauchak, 2010). Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the roles of beliefs, self-perceptions, and learner expectations (Eggen,Kauchak.2010). According to social cognitive theorists learning is viewed as a change in a person’s mental processes that stimulates the capacity to demonstrate different behaviours (Hill, 2002 as cited in Eggen,Kauchak, 2010).

Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) continues to emphasize that learning occurs in a social context and that much of what is learned is gained through observation. SCT has been applied broadly to such diverse areas of human …show more content…

(Eggen, Kauchak, 2013). “A closely related assumption within the SCT is that people have an agency or ability to influence their own behavior and the environment in a purposeful, goal-directed fashion” (Bandura, 2001). In other words, it can be said that those influences take place in a two directional and reciprocal fashion. Bandura created the Triadic reciprocal causation model which can be used to explain how learning results from the interactions among three factors: (1) personal and cognitive factors, (2) behavioural patterns and (3) social environment. Example of personal factors are self control and

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