The designer of social learning theory is which of the following individuals?

• A. Albert Bandura
• B. B.F. Skinner
• C. Jean Piaget
• D. Lev Vygotsky

Answer: (A)

Albert Bandura is the designer of social learning theory. This approach centers on learning that happens by watching others, imitating their actions, and noticing the consequences of those actions. Bandura showed that people don’t need to experience reinforcement directly to learn; they can learn vicariously by observing models and predicting what will happen if they imitate them. He also introduced the idea of reciprocal determinism—the idea that a person’s thoughts and actions interact with the environment to shape behavior—and highlighted four processes in observational learning: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. The famous Bobo doll studies illustrated that children imitate aggressive behavior after observing it, underscoring that learning can occur without direct reinforcement. This sets Bandura apart from Skinner, who emphasized operant conditioning and direct reinforcement, Piaget, who focused on stages of cognitive development, and Vygotsky, who stressed social interaction and cultural tools.