Modeling (psychology)

Study by Albert Bandura

Albert Bandura most memorably introduced the concept of behavioral modeling in his famous 1961 Bobo doll experiment. In this study, 72 children from ages three to five were divided into groups to watch an adult confederate (the model) interact with an assortment of toys in the experiment room, including an inflated Bobo doll. For children assigned the non-aggressive condition, the role model ignored the doll. For children assigned the aggressive condition, the role model spent the majority of the time physically aggressing the doll and shouting at it.

After the role model left the room, the children were allowed to interact with similar toys individually. Children who observed the non-aggressive role model's behavior played quietly with the toys and rarely initiated violence toward the Bobo doll. Children who watched the aggressive role model were more likely to model themselves on that example by hitting, kicking, and shouting at the Bobo doll.

Factors influencing behavioral modeling

Psychological factors

Bandura proposed that four components contribute to behavioral modeling.

1. Attention: The observer must watch and pay attention to the behavior being modeled.
2. Retention: The observer must remember the behavior well enough to recreate it.
3. Reproduction: The observer must physically recreate the actions they observed in step 1.
4. Reinforcement: The observer's modeled behavior must be rewarded

Neurological factors

The mirror neuron system, located in the brain's frontal lobe, is a network of neurons that become active when an animal performs a behavior or observes that behavior being performed by another. For example, mirror neurons become active when a monkey grasps an object, just as when it watches another monkey do. While the significance of mirror neurons is still up for debate in the scientific community, many believe them to be the primary biological component in imitative learning.

In neuro-linguistic programming

Main article: Methods of neuro-linguistic programming#Modeling

Modeling is an important component of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a field in which specialized modeling techniques are developed.

References

References

1. VandenBoss, Gary (2006) ''APA Dictionary of Psychology''. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association
2. Westen, D.; Burton, L. & Kowalski, R. (2006) Psychology: Australian and New Zealand Edition. Milton, QLD. John Wiley and Sons.
3. Bandura, Albert. (1961). "Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology.
4. Brewer, Keri R.. (1998). "Observational Learning Effectiveness as a Function of Model Characteristics: Investigating the Importance of Social Power". Journal of Social Behavior and Personality.
5. Grusec, Joan E.. (1992). "Social Learning Theory and Developmental Psychology: The Legacies of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura". Journal of Developmental Psychology.
6. Jeon, Hyeonjin. (28 February 2018). "From Neurons to Social Beings: Short Review of the Mirror Neuron System Research and Its Socio-Psychological and Psychiatric Implications". Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience.
7. Iacobono, Marco. (2009). "Imitation, Empathy, and Mirror Neurons". [[Annual Review of Psychology]].
8. Molnar-Szakacs, Istvan. (22 February 2005). "Grasping the Intentions of Others with One's Own Mirror Neuron System". PLOS Biology.