Observational Learning
Also called: vicarious learning, learning by watching
Definition
Acquiring a new behavior, or a change in an existing one, by watching another person's behavior and its consequences, without directly experiencing those consequences and without necessarily copying the behavior in the moment. It differs from imitation in that the learner's response can come later and can be shaped by the consequences the model received.
In plain language
Learning from watching what happens to someone else. You may not copy them right away, but what you saw changes what you do later.
Example
A student sees a classmate praised for lining up quietly and lines up quietly the next time.
Not observational learning
A learner copying a wave the instant the model waves. That is imitation.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- skinner-1953
Written from Skinner (1953) and the modeling literature. No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.