According to Albert Bandura, the picture of reality is the result of people’s experiences received from others. Such a type of experience is called vicar ensuring the everyday learning (Johnson, 2019). People always have personalities such as parents, teachers, work colleagues, friends, and popular people to be the role models in various areas of life. People repeat the behavior of others almost without realizing it. However, from the psychological perspective, process does not happen automatically (Johnson, 2019). People choose a model to follow, carefully observe, remember, and evaluate others’ behavior. Within the theory of vicarious learning framework, this assessment is extremely important. This aspect distinguishes Bandura’s theory from other theories of learning. The social-cognitive theory of social learning is relevant in modern conditions (Johnson, 2019). It is especially vital in the informational and social media-oriented world where many personalities can serve as role models for others.
The realization of social learning theory can be seen on practice. For example, it is evident that the violence and crime levels are high among African-Americans communities (Latzer, 2018). Being raised in a society where role models are aggressive and violent, children learn to behave in the same way. The notion of subcultural violence exists within the mentioned communities, which forms the people’s perception of social values and norms. (Latzer, 2018). People are likely to analyze the behavior of others in similar conditions. Thus, it is highly possible for people to explore the behavior patterns of the representatives of the same nations and communities. As a result, the violence in African-Americans communities develops because people learn from the experience of others. The high level of aggression and potentially dangerous crime rates within this community are caused by unpleasant life conditions such as poverty, lack of educational and career opportunities, and low standards of living in general.
References
Johnson, L. (2019). An Application of Bandura’s social learning theory: A new approach to deafblind support groups. JADARA, 42(4), 103–108. Web.
Latzer, B. (2018). Subcultures of violence and African American crime rates. Journal of Criminal Justice, 54, 31–49.