CMY3701
Assignment 1 Semester 2 2026
Unique number: 352210
Due date: 14 August 20266
SECTION A
1.1 Observation and imitation in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
1. Introduction
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory helps to explain how children and young people
learn behaviour by watching other people and later copying what they have seen.
This idea is especially important when examining violence in South African schools
because learners are influenced by behaviour within their homes, schools,
communities and wider society. Violence may therefore become learned when
children repeatedly observe aggression being used to solve disagreements, gain
respect or show power. The school violence cases reported in the article show how
harmful behaviour can spread through observation, imitation and repeated exposure
, SECTION A
1.1 Observation and imitation in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
1. Introduction
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory helps to explain how children and young people
learn behaviour by watching other people and later copying what they have seen.
This idea is especially important when examining violence in South African schools
because learners are influenced by behaviour within their homes, schools,
communities and wider society. Violence may therefore become learned when
children repeatedly observe aggression being used to solve disagreements, gain
respect or show power. The school violence cases reported in the article show how
harmful behaviour can spread through observation, imitation and repeated exposure
to aggressive role models within the learner's social environment (Ntazi, 2025). The
study guide also places social learning and behaviour modelling within the
behavioural explanation of criminal conduct.
2. Definition of three key concepts
2.1 Social learning
Social learning is the process through which people acquire new behaviour, attitudes
and emotional responses by observing other people and noticing the consequences
that follow their actions within society (Bandura, 1977).
2.2 Observation
Observation refers to carefully watching another person's behaviour and the results
of that behaviour, which allows an individual to gather information that may later
guide similar actions (Woolfolk & Usher, 2020).
2.3 Imitation
Imitation is the act of copying behaviour that has been observed in another person,
especially when the model appears powerful, respected, successful or rewarded for
particular actions (Berk, 2021).
Assignment 1 Semester 2 2026
Unique number: 352210
Due date: 14 August 20266
SECTION A
1.1 Observation and imitation in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
1. Introduction
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory helps to explain how children and young people
learn behaviour by watching other people and later copying what they have seen.
This idea is especially important when examining violence in South African schools
because learners are influenced by behaviour within their homes, schools,
communities and wider society. Violence may therefore become learned when
children repeatedly observe aggression being used to solve disagreements, gain
respect or show power. The school violence cases reported in the article show how
harmful behaviour can spread through observation, imitation and repeated exposure
, SECTION A
1.1 Observation and imitation in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
1. Introduction
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory helps to explain how children and young people
learn behaviour by watching other people and later copying what they have seen.
This idea is especially important when examining violence in South African schools
because learners are influenced by behaviour within their homes, schools,
communities and wider society. Violence may therefore become learned when
children repeatedly observe aggression being used to solve disagreements, gain
respect or show power. The school violence cases reported in the article show how
harmful behaviour can spread through observation, imitation and repeated exposure
to aggressive role models within the learner's social environment (Ntazi, 2025). The
study guide also places social learning and behaviour modelling within the
behavioural explanation of criminal conduct.
2. Definition of three key concepts
2.1 Social learning
Social learning is the process through which people acquire new behaviour, attitudes
and emotional responses by observing other people and noticing the consequences
that follow their actions within society (Bandura, 1977).
2.2 Observation
Observation refers to carefully watching another person's behaviour and the results
of that behaviour, which allows an individual to gather information that may later
guide similar actions (Woolfolk & Usher, 2020).
2.3 Imitation
Imitation is the act of copying behaviour that has been observed in another person,
especially when the model appears powerful, respected, successful or rewarded for
particular actions (Berk, 2021).
