The concept that people learn by observing others is called which term?

The concept that people learn by observing others is called which term?

• A. Social Cognitivism
• B. Socialization
• C. Reverse Socialization
• D. Resocialization

Answer: (A)

Observational learning is at the heart of this idea. People learn by watching others perform behaviors and see the consequences, then decide what to imitate. This fits Social Cognitivism (often called social cognitive theory), which emphasizes how cognitive processes—like attention, memory, and motivation—shape learning from models. When a person sees someone get praised for a behavior, they’re more likely to imitate it; when the behavior leads to punishment, they may avoid it. Self-efficacy, or belief in one’s own ability to do something, also influences whether imitation occurs. For example, a student might learn a math technique by watching a peer work it out successfully and then try it themselves. The other terms describe broader or different processes (socialization is learning norms, reverse socialization is younger people influencing older ones, resocialization is adopting new norms in a new context), but the act of learning by observing others is best captured by Social Cognitivism.

Observational learning is at the heart of this idea. People learn by watching others perform behaviors and see the consequences, then decide what to imitate. This fits Social Cognitivism (often called social cognitive theory), which emphasizes how cognitive processes—like attention, memory, and motivation—shape learning from models. When a person sees someone get praised for a behavior, they’re more likely to imitate it; when the behavior leads to punishment, they may avoid it. Self-efficacy, or belief in one’s own ability to do something, also influences whether imitation occurs. For example, a student might learn a math technique by watching a peer work it out successfully and then try it themselves. The other terms describe broader or different processes (socialization is learning norms, reverse socialization is younger people influencing older ones, resocialization is adopting new norms in a new context), but the act of learning by observing others is best captured by Social Cognitivism.