Albert Bandura

Observational Learning(Modeling Theory)

Albert Bandura

Observational Learning(Modeling Theory)

Self-EfficacySelf-Efficacy

• Bandura’s basic premise is that people have great power to influence and shape their own lives, but unless they believe this concept is true, that personal power will do no good.

• We all guide our lives by our beliefs in our personal efficacy which he defines as :

• “beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments”

The Nature and Structure of Self-efficacy:

The Nature and Structure of Self-efficacy:

• *not global but *not global but domain specificdomain specific

• *concerned with *concerned with thought processes as thought processes as well as actionwell as action

• *not a fixed trait. It *not a fixed trait. It can be activated.can be activated.

• People strong in efficacy People strong in efficacy are able to persevere in are able to persevere in times of difficulty and times of difficulty and stress.stress.

• Experiences of success are Experiences of success are the most powerful sources the most powerful sources of information.of information.

• Overcoming obstacles and Overcoming obstacles and persevering through tough persevering through tough experiences teach us to be experiences teach us to be resilient.resilient.

Development of Efficacy over the Lifespan

Development of Efficacy over the Lifespan

• ““After repeated After repeated experiences of inefficacy experiences of inefficacy in influencing events, even in influencing events, even adults can lose their sense adults can lose their sense of personal agency and of personal agency and become apathetic in become apathetic in situations where the situations where the opportunity to exercise opportunity to exercise control exists” control exists”

A sense of capability is developed through enriched environments A sense of capability is developed through enriched environments

• ““Intensive preschool programs that provide rich mastery Intensive preschool programs that provide rich mastery experiences permanently raise the intellectual level and experiences permanently raise the intellectual level and academic attainment of children from economically academic attainment of children from economically impoverished and under educated families...impoverished and under educated families...

• High risk children without such enablement programs High risk children without such enablement programs end up functioning at end up functioning at

• borderline or retarded levels of borderline or retarded levels of

intelligence and tend tointelligence and tend to

repeat grades”repeat grades”

• The gap is widening

between rich and poor,

advantaged and

disadvantaged.

Teacher EfficacyTeacher Efficacy

• Bandura says that teachers who are efficacious believe difficult students are teachable with effort and that they can overcome negative community influences.

• Teachers with a low sense of efficacy, on the other hand, “are mired in classroom problems. They distrust their ability to manage their classrooms; are stressed and angered by students’ misbehavior, and are pessimistic about students’ improvability.

• A teacher’s A teacher’s sense of sense of

efficacy is efficacy is the best the best

predictor of predictor of commitment commitment

to the to the teaching teaching

profession.profession.

Efficacious SchoolsEfficacious Schools

• *Our schools are not serving *Our schools are not serving disadvantaged children well.disadvantaged children well.

• *There is a widening gap in *There is a widening gap in achievement that persists achievement that persists between advantaged and between advantaged and disadvantaged children.disadvantaged children.

• *The educationally *The educationally disadvantaged represent disadvantaged represent about about one third one third of the of the nation’s student population!nation’s student population!

Bandura also talks about:Bandura also talks about:

• Health EfficacyHealth Efficacy

• We need to take charge We need to take charge of our own health and of our own health and lifestyle habits.lifestyle habits.

• Stress affect the immune Stress affect the immune system, and system, and psychological stress psychological stress increases susceptibility increases susceptibility to viral infection.to viral infection.

• Athletic PerformanceAthletic Performance• The annals of fleeting athletic The annals of fleeting athletic

careers are heavily populated with careers are heavily populated with aspirants who possessed superior aspirants who possessed superior physical abilities but a fragile physical abilities but a fragile sense of efficacy. They quickly fell sense of efficacy. They quickly fell apart in times of trouble”apart in times of trouble”

• Choosing a CareerChoosing a Career• The higher our The higher our

perceived efficacy to perceived efficacy to fulfill educational or fulfill educational or job requirements, the job requirements, the wider the range of wider the range of career options we career options we consider.consider.

Collective Efficacy in SocietyCollective Efficacy in Society

• If people feel they have no If people feel they have no political power to change political power to change their situation, they will their situation, they will not even try. not even try.

• Research shows that Research shows that residents of high social residents of high social status believe they can status believe they can affect government affect government policies. Those of low policies. Those of low status feel more status feel more powerless.powerless.

These thoughts come from Albert Bandura’s book:

These thoughts come from Albert Bandura’s book:

Self-Efficacy: Self-Efficacy:

The Exercise of Control (1997)The Exercise of Control (1997)