Social Learning Theory Approach
Social learning theory approaches can be applied to any environment where any social phenomenon occurs. Social learning theory includes distinct factors facilitating social learning: labeling theory, observational learning and socialization. Furthermore, businesses, governments and guerrilla marketing tactics can implement social learning theory to satisfy their agendas.
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The Anatomy of Social Learning Theory
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Albert Bandura, a psychologist concerned with social cognitive theory, addresses four distinct components essential for social learning to occur: (1) awareness and attentiveness to external events; (2) an ability to remember what has been observed; (3) ability to reproduced what has been observed; (4) involves a perceived incentive to reproduce what has been observed.
Labeling in Social Learning Theory
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Labeling theory is concerned with how a person's behavior can be modified by leaning to act in accordance with a title or label given. For example, to counteract the tendencies of employees to become isolationist (i.e., "I'm just here to do my job and leave" mindset), an employee with the title "team member" as opposed to "labor worker" may literally learn to work as a team, as the title implies.
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Observational Learning
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The observational learning approach involves learning by observing the consequences associated with the behaviors and activities of others. For example, observing a successful sales pitch from a co-worker may result in learning how to effectively present a product to a client. Observational learning extends beyond human affairs and can be seen within the interactions among animals. For instance, predator animals such as a cub lion first learns and refines their hunting skills by observing stealth, lurking and crouch activities from their mother.
Socialization in Social Learning Theory
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Socialization is a process involving someone learning the cultural expectations, customers, beliefs and activities particular to a group and, in so doing, effectively assimilating into that group. For example, a recruit for the U.S. military must first go through training (boot camp) prior to becoming a soldier. Boot camp training involves rigorous physical and psychological regiments that a new recruit eventually learns to overcome as he begins to embrace a new identity specific to the characteristics of being a soldier.
Guerrilla Marketing
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Marketing approaches implementing the social learning phenomenon may include stealth marketing. Stealth marketing is when a person overhears or stumbles upon seemingly authentic information favoring a product or service that's real marketing in disguise. For example, the Internet is full of message boards and forums where unassuming Internet browsers inquire about a particular product. In their quest to seek unbiased information, they come across a sponsored messaging board consisting of customer reviews strongly favoring that product. The attempt is to manufacture the "everyone seems to like it so I'll buy it" momentum involved in customers learning through peer approval.
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