Understanding Social Learning: Theories and Principles
Social Learning Theories
Reciprocal Determinism and Interaction
There is a mutual interaction between stimulus and response agencies. The most important thing is what makes the body act upon stimuli. Some stimuli are biological, while others are fundamentally social; individuals assign social value to stimuli. The school investigating this is symbolic interactionism, a parallel and complementary approach. Stimuli influence us based on the value we assign them.
Bandura’s scheme attempts to explain human behavior without resorting to philosophy. He proposed that while there is determinism (lack of freedom), there is also a false sense of freedom.
Social Impregnation
Social impregnation refers to the media’s influence on audiences. The social environment is constructed around us, often without our awareness. Ortega referred to this as “solencias,” unwritten rules with rewards or punishments based on the social environment.
The Uses and Gratifications Theory explains that audiences continue using media if they derive positive outcomes and cease using it if they do not.
Humans set goals and experience discrepancies, which act as punishments. Conversely, moving closer to the goal acts as a reward.
Anticipatory goal responses are small rewards received earlier, anticipating the ultimate prize. For example, an addict preparing a drug experiences calming satisfaction.
Moving away from the goal standard results in penalties, such as pangs of conscience, when behavior is not rewarded and deviates from the standard.
Vicarious Learning: The ability to learn by observing and imitating others. Freud explained rewards and punishments as dispensed by the super-ego.
Media can construct social reality, but we also influence the media. Political campaigns, for instance, present their views and suggest benefits for voters.
A problem with democracy is that we often analyze political messages peripherally, focusing on superficial aspects rather than substance (e.g., left or right leaning, without analyzing the program).
Basic Principles
These are universal mechanisms, the foundation of science, true for everyone.
I (1) = I (2) + Circumstances
Culture in which I exist
Permanent laws are limited as circumstances change.
Motivational Principles
These drive human behavior, explaining why we act.
There are three major reasons:
- Search for Links: Humans tend to form groups. Intelligence arises from interaction with others.
- Gain Domain: Domain refers to mastering the environment, driven by survival and adaptation instincts. It involves capturing, judging, and acting on information, with communication being key. We scan our environment, select useful information, interpret it, and act accordingly. This process is subtle.
- Principle of Self-Image and Self-Esteem: We seek a positive self-image based on others’ views, especially our parents. Positive reinforcement enhances security and self-esteem. We seek positive images for ourselves and those close to us.
Cognitive Processing Principles
These explain how we process information.
- Conservatism: We tend to process information conservatively, resisting changes in mindset. This is due to the rigidity of the cognitive component of activities. Activities have three components:
- Cognitive: What I know about something.
- Evaluation: The values assigned.
- Behavioral: How to act based on the above.
- Accessibility: The most accessible information, not necessarily the most relevant, influences decisions. Repetition activates categories, as seen in advertising (agenda setting). Advertisers aim for “top-of-mind” awareness, making their product the most accessible. For example, advertising may make you think of Pascual first when buying milk.
- Dual Processing: Also known as the cognitive miser, lazy principle, or good cognitive manager principle. Cognitive shortcuts allow efficient information processing with minimal effort. There are two routes: central and peripheral (shortcuts). We tend towards the peripheral route, which requires less effort, especially when motivation or competence is low. This involves intuitive, natural categories and heuristic rules, which work well under normal conditions. Media information is often processed heuristically; we seek relaxation and entertainment rather than deep engagement.
Shaping
This theory posits that social sanctions shape our behavior. Media and advertising act as rewards, showing social solutions and demonstrating what is rewarded or punished according to specific targets. We also experience punishment (e.g., the price of watching a program). If we like it, we are rewarded; if not, we are punished, but we can choose to change (we are selective). Media and advertising highlight social norms that reward certain behaviors.