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CISCEISC (Arts) Class 12
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Syllabus

Social Cognition and Social Learning Theories

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Topics

  • Introduction
  • Social Cognition
  • Learning in Social Contexts
  • Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory
  • Process of Observational Learning
  • Rotter’s Social Learning Theory
  • Real-Life Applications
  • Key Points: Social Cognition and Social Learning Theories
CISCE: Class 12

Introduction

Human behavior is strongly influenced by the environment as well as mental processes. The social cognitive approach states that behavior is determined by the interaction of cognitive factors (thought processes, beliefs, attitudes) and environmental consequences (rewards, punishments, social reactions).

CISCE: Class 12

Social Cognition

  • Meaning: Social cognition refers to the mental processes by which individuals perceive, interpret, and store information about people and social situations.
  • It involves recognizing others’ actions, understanding motives, and remembering relevant social information to guide behavior.
  • Example: A child observes his mother greeting elders politely by saying “Good morning.” Later, the child performs the same behavior in a similar context, indicating that he has learned socially acceptable manners through observation.
CISCE: Class 12

Learning in Social Contexts

Through interactions with family, peers, and educators, children develop patterns of appropriate behavior. Observation, imitation, and reinforcement shape a significant portion of their learning.

Examples of Social Learning

Situation Observation Learned Behavior
Parent greets elders Child watches respectful interaction Child repeats greeting behavior
Mother folds her hands in prayer Child observes ritual The child performs the same gesture at the temple
Teacher praises teamwork Student notices that cooperation is valued The student participates actively in group work
CISCE: Class 12

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

Albert Bandura developed this theory to explain how people learn by observing others and mentally processing those experiences.

Key Features

  • Observational Learning: Learning happens by watching others (“models”) and imitating what they do.
  • Vicarious Reinforcement: If someone else is rewarded or punished for a behavior, we learn from that outcome.
  • Self-Efficacy: Our confidence in our ability to perform a task affects whether we will attempt it.
  • Triadic Reciprocal Determinism: Behavior, personal factors, and environment continuously influence each other.
CISCE: Class 12

Process of Observational Learning

Bandura described four major steps in observational learning:

  1. Attention: Focusing on the behavior of the model.
  2. Retention: Storing the observed behavior in memory.
  3. Reproduction: Trying to imitate the behavior.
  4. Motivation: Deciding whether to repeat the behavior depending on possible rewards or punishments.

Example:
In the Bobo Doll Experiment, children who watched adults act aggressively toward a doll later imitated this aggressive behavior themselves. Those who saw the adults rewarded for aggression were more likely to copy them — showing vicarious reinforcement.

CISCE: Class 12

Rotter’s Social Learning Theory

Julian Rotter agreed that learning is social and cognitive, but emphasized the expectations and values people attach to outcomes.

Major Constructs

  1. Expectancy: The belief about the likelihood that a certain action will lead to a desired outcome.
  2. Reinforcement Value: The importance or value a person places on the expected result.
  3. Locus of Control: The belief about whether outcomes are controlled by internal effort (internal locus) or by external forces (external locus).

Example:
If a student believes studying consistently will bring high marks (expectancy) and deeply values good grades (reinforcement value), they’ll put more effort into studying.

CISCE: Class 12

Real-Life Applications

  • Education: Teachers use modeling to shape student behavior (e.g., demonstrating curiosity in class).
  • Parenting: Children imitate good manners, kindness, or honesty from their parents.
  • Media: Advertisements use celebrity modeling to influence consumer behavior.
CISCE: Class 12

Key Points: Social Cognition and Social Learning Theories

  • We learn behavior by watching others, thinking about it, and noticing what brings rewards or punishments.
  • Social thinking (social cognition) helps us understand people’s actions and decide how to behave.
  • Bandura said we learn by copying others, seeing what happens to them, and believing in our own abilities.
  • Rotter said our actions depend on what we expect will happen and how much we care about the result. He also explained whether we believe outcomes are within our control.
  • This theory is helpful in teaching, parenting, and media because it shows how people learn by observing role models and their outcomes.
 

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