Final answer:
Alec's behavior after hearing his mother's expletive is an example of observational learning, where children learn behaviors through watching others, particularly influential adults. This form of learning can lead to undesirable actions like bullying and aggressive responses when children imitate negative role models.
Step-by-step explanation:
The behavior exhibited by Julie's son Alec is an example of observational learning, also known as modeling. This psychological concept explains how people can learn new behaviors through the observation of others. In this scenario, Alec has observed his mother's response to a stressful situation and mimicked that behavior during a similar emotionally-charged event at preschool. Observational learning is a fundamental aspect of social and cognitive development, particularly in children, who are highly receptive to the behaviors modeled by adults and peers.
When children witness an adult who is abrasive and verbally hurtful, or someone who uses explicit language or acts aggressively, they may internalize and reproduce those behaviors, believing them to be acceptable responses. This can lead to issues such as a child fighting or bullying other children, which are behaviors often linked to the examples set by influential figures in a child's life. It is important for caregivers and educators to understand the impact of their actions on children's learning and to provide positive role models to encourage desirable behavior.
In the case of Claire and her daughter Anna, Claire's method of discipline through physical punishment similarly led to Anna imitating that behavior in her play, indicating the powerful effects of observational learning within the family context.