3.03: Observational Learning

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

Have you ever seen a young child imitate or copy the behavior they see someone else doing?

For example, your brother watches you practicing your golf swing and later he picks up a club and tries to swing it using the same type of swing. This is observational learning. It is sometimes also referred to as shaping, or modeling.

While it can take place at any point in life, it tends to be the most common during childhood as children learn from the authority figures and peers in their lives. It also plays an important role in the socialization process, as children learn how to behave and respond to others by observing how their parents and other caregivers interact with each other and with other people.