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2           social learning theory—learning both through



                                                                                        63
                                 observation and direct experience.


                       •  Influence of models, such as parents, teachers, peers, celebrities, managers, and so
                          forth, is central to social learning.

                       •  Four processes determine the amount of influence these models have:
                       People learn from 2
                  1                             retention                Motor                    reinforcement
                       attentional

                                                                         reproduction
                                                processes.
                       processes.
                                                                                                  processes.
                                                A model’s influence 3  4
                                                                                                  motivated to exhibit
                                                                         After a person has
                       a model when they  will depend on how             processes.               Individuals will be
                       recognize and pay        well the individual      seen a new behavior      the modeled behavior
                       attention to its         remembers the            by observing the         if positive incentives

                       critical features.       model’s action,          model, the watching      or rewards are
                                                even after the           must become doing.       provided. Reinforced
                                                model is no longer                                behaviors will be

                                                readily available.                                given more attention,
                                                                                                  learned better, and
                                                                                                  performed more
                      shaping behavior                                                            often.

                      Putting Learning Theory into Practice




                      Why

                      •  Managers can teach employees to
                          behave in ways that most benefit the
                          organization. 64


                      hoW

                      •  Guide learning in graduated steps, that is,
                          shaping behavior.




                                                                         Vladimir Nenov/Alamy

                        social learning theory       shaping behavior
                        A theory of learning that says people can learn   The process of guiding learning in graduated steps,
                        through observation and direct experience  using reinforcement or lack of reinforcement


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