Introduction
Learning that occurs through observing other people’s actions is known as observation-based learning. This type of social study can take on numerous shapes depending on different processes. Humans appear to learn this way without needing reinforcement; instead, they need a social model in their surroundings, such as a parent, sibling, friend, or instructor (DeQuinzio & Taylor, 2015).
A model is a person who has power or a higher standing in the community, especially in childhood. However, other processes are frequently engaged (DeQuinzio & Taylor, 2015). In animals, learning is observed, which results in instinctual behavior triggered by witnessing other species’ behavior (for example, in birds). This paper addresses critical components of observational learning: attending, imitating, and discriminating.
Attention
The primary stage is attending, which incorporates attention-keeping and the ability to demonstrate the learned skill. If a person is going to learn something from someone else, they should entirely focus on the person and the behavior he demonstrates. In some cases, this may involve directly observing how someone acts. Another example is watching someone do an action in an asynchronous setting, such as on television, in a movie, or in a video game (DeQuinzio & Taylor, 2015). Learning through observation involves the ability to store information obtained through observation.
Imitating
The second stage of learning is the capacity to replicate the behavior acquired through observation and knowledge storage. They might have to repeat the behavior multiple times before successfully performing it. To copy the observed behavior, the students must have the physical abilities and the resources to perform this action. For example, a novice basketball player may not yet be able to perform the actions of a much more experienced player (DeQuinzio & Taylor, 2015). Before replicating the movements, students must close the gap between their current skill level and the needed one.
Discriminating
The final stage that was differentiated is discriminating, which is responding to the questions. It is similar to reinforcement when a specific stimulus is needed. The question is asked during this stage, and the respondents should answer correctly and receive praise (DeQuinzio & Taylor, 2015). If they do not provide a correct answer, the process is halted. The principle of discrimination is extrapolated by applying specific stimuli that make students react.
By including familiar stimuli in training, the researchers drew on earlier studies on observational learning. The researchers employed a multiple-baseline technique with three participants to determine the effect of discrimination training on the discrimination of consequences applied to modeled actions using both known and unknown pictures (DeQuinzioet al., 2018). The other study studies the brain organization of the species and how it determines the neural pathways for observational learning (Carcea & Froemke, 2019). Understanding the molecular underpinnings of social learning may facilitate behavioral therapies for various learning issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, learning by observing and copying others is called observational learning. People pick up on what they see when they watch others perform a skill, retain it, and replicate it in their behavior. Further studies regarding the nature of discrimination are needed to understand how the stimulus should be improved to ensure better memorization. Finally, these stages holistically view observational learning to perceive better the process of acquiring new information.
References
Carcea, I., & Froemke, R. C. (2019). Biological mechanisms for observational learning. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 54, 178–185. Web.
DeQuinzio, J. A., & Taylor, B. A. (2015). Teaching children with autism to discriminate the reinforced and nonreinforced responses of others: implications for observational learning. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 48(1), 38–51. Web.
DeQuinzio, J. A., Taylor, B. A., & Tomasi, B. J. (2018). Observational learning and children with autism: discrimination training of known and unknown stimuli. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 51(4), 802–818. Web.