Social learning theory is the idea that people can learn new behaviors by observing and imitating others. It was proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura, who conducted a series of experiments to test his theory using an inflatable doll called Bobo.
The bobo doll experiment involved 72 children who were exposed to different adult models who either acted aggressively or non-aggressively towards the doll. The children were then taken to another room where they could play with the same doll and other toys. The experimenters observed how the children behaved towards the doll and measured their imitation of the adult model’s actions.
The results showed that the children who saw the aggressive model were more likely to act aggressively towards the doll, while the children who saw the non-aggressive model were less likely to do so. The experiment also found that the children’s imitation was influenced by the consequences of the model’s behavior, such as reward, punishment, or no feedback.