Final answer:
Observational learning, part of Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, is learning through watching others and can lead to the acquisition of new behaviors and skills, influenced by cognitive factors like self-efficacy and principles like reciprocal determinism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Observational learning is a core concept within Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, representing a method of learning skills and behaviors through the indirect observation of others. The process of modeling is critical here, involving steps such as attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. By observing others, such as parents, siblings, teachers, and even public figures, we learn and internalize various behaviors. Both prosocial and antisocial effects can stem from observational learning, highlighting the impact that models have in shaping behaviors within a society. Cognitive factors like self-efficacy also play a significant role in the learning process, influencing the behaviors one chooses to imitate and the persistence in performing them after observation.
The principles of reciprocal determinism show that personal, behavioral, and environmental factors are mutually influential. Bandura's theory emphasizes that cognition and learning are both crucial for personality development and individual differences, moving beyond strict behaviorism which focused solely on reinforcement and punishment.