Albert Bandura PhD

“People’s beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on those abilities. Ability is not a fixed property; there’s a huge variability in how you perform.”

Influence on SDC Framework Focus

Albert Bandura’s research on learning, motivation and self-efficacy informs the Self Directed ChangeWorks approach to modeling and mastering personal growth and learning.

Dr. Bandura’s ideas about modeling, self-efficacy and skill-acquisition are particularly useful in the framework of self directed change.

SDC applies Bandura’s broader principles of using personal skills to create desired outcomes via exemplars, coaching, practicing states, and skill-building for new traits and responses.

For a closer look, add Dr. Bandura’s groundbreaking work “Social Learning Theory” to your library today. Find it here in the ChangeWorks Bookstore.

Bookstore

Key Contributions and Concepts

Albert Bandura’s work fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how people learn, develop, and interact with their environment. His theories bridge behaviorism and cognitive psychology, and emphasize that learning is not merely a result of direct experience but is also influenced by observation, self-belief, and social interaction. Below are some of his most significant contributions, which continue to impact psychology, education, and media studies today.

Social Learning Theory

In the 1960s, psychologist Albert Bandura conducted a series of experiments known as the Bobo Doll studies. These showed that children can pick up aggressive behaviors simply by observing adults act aggressively toward a toy. From this, Bandura developed Social Learning Theory, which explains how people learn not only through direct experience, but by watching the actions and outcomes of others' behavior.

He presented a detailed version of this theory in his 1977 book, Social Learning Theory, outlining how observation, imitation, and modeling influence the way people develop new behaviors, attitudes, and emotional responses.

Bandura identified four core component processes that support learning through observation:

Attention Processes: The learner must first notice the behavior being modeled. Factors that influence attention include how familiar or socially significant the model is, as well as the behavior’s complexity, usefulness, or history of reinforcement.
Retention Processes: After observing a behavior, the learner needs to store it in memory in a way that allows for later recall. This might involve creating a lasting mental image or forming a verbal description of the behavior sequence—both of which help make the behavior accessible at a later time. Mental rehearsal of the behavior also helps retention.
Motor Reproduction Processes: The learner attempts to carry out the observed behavior. This may involve developing or refining skills through self-corrective adjustments based on feedback from the performance or focused demonstration of segments until the behavior can be executed effectively.
Motivation Processes: The learner must have a reason to repeat the behavior. This may depend on observed consequences. People are likely to repeat a behavior that is self-satisfying, especially if they are provided with physical prompting when they fail, and with rewards when they succeed.

When these four conditions are present Bandura showed that people can acquire complex skills and behaviors simply by observing others, without needing to experience the behavior firsthand. This process also plays a key role in how social and cultural norms are learned and passed on, as people model the behaviors and values they see in their environment.

Self-Efficacy

Alongside social learning theory Bandura introduced the concept of self-efficacy, which is a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in certain situations. According to Bandura there are four primary sources of self-efficacy. Psychologist James Maddux, building on Bandura's work, suggested “imaginal experiences” as a fifth source of self-efficacy. His contribution highlights the role of imagination and visualization in the learning and “self-efficacy development” process.

Bandura’s four primary sources:

Mastery Experiences: Provide direct evidence of our capabilities, and are the most influential sources of information on efficacy. Not just about past successes, rather also about actively seeking out and conquering new challenges. This ongoing process of tackling difficulties and achieving desired outcomes continually reinforces and builds self-efficacy.
Vicarious Experiences (social modeling): Increase our success by observing others, who are otherwise like us, succeed. A valuable alternative when direct experiences are not immediately available or feasible. In practical applications, such as sports or education, intentional use of “peer modeling” can be an effective strategy to build self-efficacy.
Social Persuasion (verbal persuasion): Boost our belief in self-efficacy when others provide verbal encouragement. It’s important to note that while social persuasion can significantly influence self-efficacy, it’s generally not as powerful as direct mastery experiences or strong vicarious experiences. Also, it is most effective when it’s within realistic limits. Overly optimistic persuasion can be counterproductive, especially if the individual subsequently fails.
Physiological and Emotional States: Our assessments & judgments about our capabilities are partly influenced by our emotional experiences and physical sensations. These internal cues provide information that we interpret as indicators of our competence, strength, or vulnerability in specific situations. Positive states can enhance our belief in our abilities, while negative states may diminish our sense of efficacy. The way we perceive and interpret these bodily and affective signals plays a big part in shaping our self-efficacy beliefs.

Maddux’s fifth source of self-efficacy:

Imaginal Experiences: A source of self-efficacy often referred to as “mental rehearsal” or cognitive rehearsal, when we visualize ourselves being effective in future or hypothetical situations, effectively handling challenges, performing tasks competently, and achieving desired outcomes.

Social Cognitive Theory

Bandura expanded his ideas into social cognitive theory, and in 1986 published his book "Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory." This theory emphasizes the interplay between personal, behavioral, and environmental factors in human functioning.

Mass Communication

In 2001, Bandura applied social cognitive theory to mass communication, analyzing how media influences human thought and action. This work demonstrated the theory's versatility and relevance in the modern world, particularly in understanding the impact of symbolic communication on behavior.

Biography

Albert Bandura was born in Mundare, Alberta, Canada and was the youngest of six children. Neither of his parents spoke English when he was a child and neither had a formal education, though they fostered their son’s love of learning.

Bandura’s first school was small and had limited resources, to which he attributed his self-motivated learning style.

He pursued his higher education at the University of British Columbia, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1949. In 1952 he earned a PhD in Psychology from the University of Iowa. After completing his postdoctoral internship at the Wichita Guidance Center, Bandura began his teaching career at Stanford University in 1953. He became the president of the American Psychological Association in 1974. He remained at Stanford until becoming professor emeritus in 2010.

In 1921 Bandura married Virginia Varns and they had two daughters. Though mostly a private person, family life was known to be important to Bandura. Carol Dweck, also an SDC influencer (see our write-up here) was a college advisor to Albert’s daughter and said, “Through Mary, I got to know Al in a different way–as not only a great scholar, but also a great father.”

Book Store

Adolescent Aggression (1959; Ronald Press).

This book explores the development and manifestation of aggressive behavior in adolescents, examining its causes and potential interventions.

Social Learning Theory (1977; Prentice Hall).

This book presents Bandura's influential theory that people learn by observing and imitating others, emphasizing the role of cognitive processes in social learning.

Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory (1986; Prentice Hall).

This book expands on Bandura's earlier work, presenting a comprehensive framework for understanding human behavior through the interaction of personal, behavioral, and environmental factors.

Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm and Live with Themselves (2015; Worth Publishers).

This book examines the psychological mechanisms people use to justify unethical behavior without feeling guilty or compromising their moral standards.