Editing Observational learning (section)

==Human observational learning==
Many behaviors that a learner observes, remembers, and imitates are actions that models display and display modeling, even though the model may not intentionally try to instill a particular behavior. A child may learn to swear, smack, smoke, and deem other inappropriate behavior acceptable through poor modeling. [[Albert Bandura]] claims that children continually learn desirable and undesirable behavior through observational learning. Observational learning suggests that an individual's environment, [[cognition]], and behavior all incorporate and ultimately determine how the individual functions and models.<ref>Bandura, A. (1971) "Psychological Modelling".New York: Lieber-Antherton</ref>

Through observational learning, individual behaviors can spread across a culture through a process called ''[[diffusion]] chain''. This basically occurs when an individual first learns a behavior by observing another individual and that individual serves as a model through whom other individuals learn the behavior, and so on.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Schacter, Daniel L.|title=Psychology|last2=Gilbert, Daniel Todd|last3=Wegner, Daniel M.|date=2011|publisher=Worth Publishers|isbn=978-1-4292-3719-2|edition=2nd|location=New York, NY|pages=295|oclc=755079969|author-link3=Daniel Wegner}}</ref>

[[Culture]] plays a role in whether observational learning is the dominant learning style in a person or [[community]]. Some cultures expect children to actively participate in their communities and are therefore exposed to different trades and roles on a daily basis.<ref name="Garton 2007 195–216">{{cite book|last=Garton|first=A. F.|title=Learning through collaboration: Is there a multicultural perspective?|year=2007|publisher=AIP|pages=195–216}}</ref> This exposure allows children to observe and learn the different skills and practices that are valued in their communities.<ref name="Hughes 2011">{{cite book|last=Hughes|first=Claire|title=Hughes, Claire. (2011) Social Understanding and Social Lives|year=2011|publisher=Psychology Press|location=New York, Ny}}</ref>

[[File:Bobo_doll-en.svg|thumb|[[Bobo doll experiment|Bobo doll experiment identified the importance of observational learning ]]]]
[[Albert Bandura]], who is known for the classic [[Bobo doll experiment]], identified this basic form of learning in 1961. The importance of observational learning lies in helping individuals, especially children, acquire new responses by observing others' behavior.

Albert Bandura states that people's behavior could be determined by their environment.  Observational learning occurs through observing negative and positive behaviors. Bandura believes in [[reciprocal determinism]] in which the environment can influence people's behavior and vice versa. For instance, the Bobo doll experiment shows that the model, in a determined environment, affects children's behavior. In this experiment Bandura demonstrates that one group of children placed in an aggressive environment would act the same way, while the control group and the other group of children placed in a passive role model environment hardly shows any type of aggression.<ref>{{cite web|title=Most Human Behavior is learned Through Modeling|url=http://credoreference.com/content/entry/dkpsycbook/most_human_behavior_is_learned_through_modeling_albert_bandura_1925/0}}</ref>

In communities where children's primary mode of learning is through observation, the [[Child Integration|children]] are rarely separated from adult activities. This incorporation into the adult world at an early age allows children to use observational learning skills in multiple spheres of life. This learning through observation requires keen attentive abilities. Culturally, they learn that their participation and contributions are valued in their communities. This teaches children that it is their duty, as members of the community, to observe others' contributions so they gradually become involved and participate further in the community.<ref name="Fleer 2003 64–79">{{cite journal|last=Fleer|first=M.|author-link=Marilyn Fleer|year=2003|title=Early Childhood Education as an Evolving 'Community of Practice' or as Lived 'Social Reproduction': researching the 'taken-for-granted'|url=http://www.uni-koeln.de/hf/konstrukt/didaktik/communities/viewpdf.pdf|journal=Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood|volume=4|issue=1|pages=64–79|citeseerx=10.1.1.486.6531|doi=10.2304/ciec.2003.4.1.7|s2cid=145804414}}</ref>