Cognitive and observational learning theories pushed psychology beyond simple stimulus-response links and brought internal mental processes into the picture. Thanks to pioneers like Bandura, Tolman, and Köhler, we now know that learning can happen even without immediate reinforcement. These approaches highlight the roles of watching others, building mental maps, and having sudden flashes of understanding when we acquire new behaviors.
Entrance exams often ask you to match each learning theory to its founder and key experiment, like Bandura with the Bobo doll or Tolman with rat mazes, so a quick matching drill is worth your time. Students frequently mix up latent learning and observational learning, and the cleanest way to separate them is this: latent learning is quietly acquiring hidden knowledge like a cognitive map, while observational learning specifically requires watching a model. You should also be able to list Bandura’s four steps of modeling in exact order: attention, then retention, then motor reproduction, then reinforcement.
Part of Basic Psychology, module “Learning & Conditioning”. Sign in (free) to read the full notes, flashcards and the lesson quiz.