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Post 1: Self-efficacy is an important concept in Bandura's work. If you believe in your capabilities to do something, and if you believe you have some control in a situation or the ability to affect your environment, then you are more likely to act and more likely to succeed.
What is meant by Social Learning Theory (Bandura)?
How does self-efficacy fit in this model?
Give an example (real or fictional) of self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy, defined as a person's belief in their own ability to succeed in a specific situation or accomplish a task, is a crucial concept within Bandura's SLT. It's a personal conviction that influences a person's behavior. In the SLT model, self-efficacy acts as a mediating factor between observation and action. You might observe a successful behavior, but whether you choose to imitate it depends on your belief that you can successfully perform the same behavior and achieve a similar outcome.
Essentially, self-efficacy determines whether you'll even try. If you have high self-efficacy for a task, you'll be more likely to put in the effort, persevere through challenges, and ultimately succeed. Conversely, low self-efficacy can lead to avoidance of a task, even if you know how to do it.
A classic example of self-efficacy can be seen in a person learning to ride a bicycle.
Let's consider two children, Sarah and Tom, who have both watched their friend ride a bicycle. They have both learned the steps for balancing and pedaling (observational learning).
Tom has high self-efficacy. He watches his friend and thinks, "I can do that!" He believes he has the physical ability and coordination to balance and pedal. Despite falling a few times, he gets back up, continues to practice, and eventually succeeds. His belief in his capabilities drove his persistence.
Sarah has low self-efficacy. She watches her friend and thinks, "I'm not coordinated enough. I'll just keep falling." Even though she has the same knowledge of how to ride, her low belief in her own ability prevents her from even trying. She avoids the task, and as a result, she never learns to ride.
Social Learning Theory (SLT), developed by Albert Bandura, proposes that people learn by observing others. It moves beyond traditional behaviorism by including internal mental states and cognitive processes. According to this theory, learning isn't just about a change in behavior, but also about acquiring knowledge that can be used later. It emphasizes that individuals learn not only through direct experience and reinforcement but also by observing the actions of others and the consequences of those actions. 🧠 This observational learning, or modeling, is a core component of SLT.