Final answer:
Observational learning is linked to brain areas involved in memory, coordinating complex movements, and visual information processing, with mirror neurons playing a significant role.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neural research indicates that observational learning is closely tied to brain areas that are involved in b) Memory, c) coordinating complex movements, and d) processing visual information. Observational learning involves learning by watching others and then imitating or modeling what they do or say, which implicates areas of the brain responsible for these functions. Research has specifically highlighted the role of mirror neurons in imitative learning, suggesting that these neurons can fire both when a person acts and when they observe the same action performed by another.
The cognitive learning involved in observational learning is quite complex, as it entails not only visual processing but also associating sensory stimuli with learned behavior and comparing motor commands and sensory feedback. These multi-faceted brain processes include the activities of visual sensory areas, motor areas, and integrating areas distributed throughout the brain. Hence, in tasks related to observational learning, several brain regions are actively engaged, supporting the cognitive functions necessary for learning.