The most characteristic feature in Albert Bandura's theory is the way of learning by observing and repeating the actions of others. The philosophical concept of evil is associated with destructive behavior and human aggression. In the history of mankind, disputes have repeatedly arisen whether evil in a person is innate or acquired.
But still, studies show the influence of environmental factors on a person's aggressiveness. These factors include education, punishment, social isolation, humiliation, prohibition of emotional manifestations, population density. The latter factor is especially relevant today in the conditions of large cities and large population density. The problem of culture and education in general, the destabilizing influence of the outside world, also remains relevant.
Albert Bandura: biography
In the small Canadian village of Mandela, on December 4, 1925, a boy was born. This is Albert Bandura. The only son surrounded by five sisters who were older than him. After graduating from school, he went to work in Alaska, participated in the restoration of the highway. A year later, Albert Bandura entered the university. After completing his studies in psychology, he was awardedbachelor's degree from the University of British Columbia. In 1951 he received a master's degree from the University of Iowa, and a year later he defended his doctoral dissertation there. While at university, he met his future wife, Virginia Warnes. She later bore him two daughters, Mary and Carol.
After graduation, Albert Bandura taught at Stanford, where he received a professor's diploma. In 1969, his first book, The Principles of Behavior Modification, was published.
Learning theory
According to Albert Bandura's theory, man has always been aggressive and will remain so for a long time to come. But what makes it so? Theories of human aggression can be divided into four categories: 1) innate or hereditary aggression; 2) activation of aggression by external stimulants; 3) emotional and cognitive process; 4) manifestation of society.
During the 1940s to the 1970s, the studies of Dollard, Miller and Bandura's work led to the continuation of the theory of imitation and aggression. This is how a new scientific term appeared, which was created by Albert Bandura - social learning theory.
In 1974, Albert Bandura was elected President of the Psychological Association of America and also President of the Psychological Association of Canada.
Albert Bandura's theory says that in order to teach children completely new behavior, punishment and encouragement alone are not enough. New behavior emerges by imitating behavior patterns. One of these manifestations is the process of identification, in which feelings are borrowed,thoughts. Thus, learning occurs through observation and copying.
The influence of the observed on the behavioral traits of the observer
According to personality theory, Albert Bandura believes that a pattern of behavior can be acquired through observation of others or through personal experiences. There are three possible influences of the observed on the observer: a new response is acquired through visual observation of the model; through contemplation of the consequences resulting from the action of the model; weakening previously acquired reactions in the process of observing the behavior of the model.
Aggression analysis
From the point of view of Albert Bandura, it is possible to regulate previously acquired reactions through the actions of models. Trying to put into practice the previously formulated principles of research on aggressiveness, Albert Bandura conducted the work "Aggression: An Analysis from the Position of Social Learning Theory". His theory assumes an optimistic view of human destructiveness. He singled out the problem of behavior with destructive potential and the factors that determine the implementation of acquired behavior.
According to Bandura, frustration is one of the most important factors that influence human aggressiveness. In other words, the worse the treatment of a person, the more aggressive his behavior.
Personality is able to acquire new reactions by observing the model. But the realization of these acquired reactions depends on personalexperience. The development of this problem is still not fully understood. The main attention was paid to imitation as one of the factors of aggressiveness, but studies did not give an unambiguous result.
The radical nature of behaviorism
Albert Bandura has sharply criticized behaviorism because it denies the determinant of human behavior arising from the cognitive process. Behaviorism also implies that the individual is not an independent system capable of influencing his life.
Albert Bandura believed that the causes of human functioning should be sought in the interaction of the environment, behavioral and cognitive spheres. Thus, situational factors and predisposition are two interdependent causes of human behavior. The dual direction of the interaction of environmental circumstances and overt behavior shows that a person is both a producer and a product of his environment. Social-cognitive theory describes a model of mutual involvement, where affective, cognitive and other private factors and actions are presented as interrelated determinants.
Possibilities for changing the behavior of individuals
While recognizing the importance of external reinforcement, Bandura does not see it as the only way to change human behavior. People are able to change their behavior by observing the behavior of other models. The results of the experiments showed that a person can expect the consequencestheir behavior and, depending on the expected consequences, regulate their behavior. Thus, it shows that the psychic ability of the individual allows for anticipation and modification of behavior.
