Final answer:
Bandura's social cognitive theory includes the important component of observational learning, where individuals learn behaviors by observing and modeling others' actions and their outcomes, as opposed to learning solely through direct reinforcement or punishment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bandura's social cognitive theory added a principle to the two classic forms of conditioning by stating that observational learning plays a role in behavior. This theory highlights that learning can occur by watching others and modeling what they do or say. It integrates the role of cognitive processes in learning and emphasizes the importance of thinking and reasoning beyond just the consequences of behavior. Bandura proposed that internal mental states are an essential part of the learning process, and that observing others can lead to learning without the need for direct reinforcement. Through the process of observational learning, individuals learn by paying attention to a model's behavior and its outcomes, retaining this information, being able to reproduce the behavior, and having the motivation to carry out the behavior themselves.
Bandura's approach differs from Skinner's operant conditioning, which focuses on the consequences of actions. Observational learning allows for the acquisition of new behaviors by watching models, not merely through direct experience. According to Bandura, we can learn new behaviors by observing others being rewarded or punished, which helps us determine what behaviors are acceptable and could lead to success. This contributes to our understanding of how our personality and behavioral patterns develop through both environmental and cognitive influences.