Observationeel leren

Observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when an individual observes and replicates another's behavior.

The Bobo doll experiment, an experiment in preservational learning, showed that children who observed an adult model acting aggressively toward a Bobo doll were more likely to display aggressive behavior themselves than children who observed a non-aggressive model.

Observational learning involves more than mere imitation and can occur in various ways.

For instance, one might learn a new response by observing a coworker being scolded for being late to the office, prompting them to reach the office earlier to avoid being late.

Another form of imitation is based on consequences, such as a child learning to avoid touching a stove after seeing a parent burn their hand.

Additionally, observational learning includes generalizing rules from observed behaviors and applying them to different situations. For example, a child watches their sibling tie shoelaces and later uses the same technique to tie a different type of shoe.