Observational Learning Concept - Term Paper Example

Observational Learning Concept Observational learning encompasses watching another person do something or act in a particular way, and applying the concept later. It also involves behavior avoidance after seeing an individual behave in a given manner and achieves negative results. This action is therefore not as a result of having learnt the concept or being taught in any way. There are four stages in observational learning: attention, retention, production and motivation. As an individual, I learnt how to use a lawn mower by frequently observing my father use it. In light of this, my attentiveness played a key role in helping me learn how to operate this machine. Every time he was doing this job, I would sit on the balcony and watch him, very keen on every move he was making, all the adjustments as well us handling. The next face was characterized by my ability to retain these maneuvers. Having been inspired by the quest to learn, internalizing these subtle concepts just set in. To perfect on these ideas, sometimes I would go to the garage, hold the mower, and pretend I was operating it, in the absence of my father of course. This also helped build confidence in me as I was able to hold the mower comfortably. After critical observation and mock testing, one morning I decided to test my ability to use the mower. My test was successful by my standards, but had to perform several tests before achieving the desired results. It is motivation that prompted me to continue taking the test procedures that involved cycles of observation then testing, after which I was able to use the mower without any hitches. However, my knowledge was only limited to operating the mower and addition of fuel when the tank ran dry, but minor repairs were quite ahead of me to manage. The repairs I was later taken through my father. Erickson’s Fidelity: identity vs. role confusion Perhaps one of the land marking stage in my personal development was adolescence, 13–19 years. According to Erickson’s developmental theory, this stage primarily seeks to identify, develop and solidify the big question of who Am I (King 309). Erickson argues that teens at this age are preoccupied with self-discovery at a point in which personal identity is overwhelmingly important (King 309). This stage often brings a challenging situation with teens seeking to mark their personal identity in an environment controlled by parents and other forms of authority. I began experiencing this particular stage at about age 14 when I started taking a leading role in different activities in school as well as social settings in the community. I felt a strong urge to be a leader in all aspects particularly in school where I would dominate discussions, and decision making among peers. As I grew up, I became more aware of personal hygiene, dress code, as well as the kind of music I listened. The increased levels of personal awareness were perhaps tuning me into discovering my specific role in different tenets of life. For instance, being smartly dressed in class espoused my perceived role as a potential leader and as an attraction to opposite sex. I often found that I listened more to soft rock music at home, because it differentiated me from my young siblings who identified with pop music and my parents who identified more with old classics. Whereas, the earlier stages of this stage did not comprise any career affiliation, I came to realize that as I approached the end of this stage, academic prowess took more precedence. As I grew up, I discovered that performance in academics is a key determinant of the future. Therefore, I changed into a career oriented person as age progressed. Erickson’s Fidelity developmental stage is arguably one of the most important and defining stages in human development. Success or failure in life can be attributed, albeit remotely, to how a person handled this particular stage. Personality trait; Agreeableness The test results indicated that my personal trait among the big five personality traits lies within agreeableness. According to King, n.p, personalities falling on agreeableness tend to trust, cooperate, kind, and take on life positively. This result did not come by surprise considering that I have a tendency to trust people especially the people on leadership and authority. For instance, availability of school fees, quality of education I am receiving, or quality of healthcare is in the least of my worries because I have a tendency to trust the relevant people mandated to provide such services. A recent classic example is when I gave out my course book to a class mate to use during a weekend whereas I had an assignment to complete on the same book. I trusted that my classmate would return the book early Monday morning as agreed and leave me with enough time to complete the assignment before the deadline. I am empathetic and tend to care a lot for the people around me. Indeed, I often find myself making personal sacrifices for the sake of others. Most of my friends say that I am approachable and easy going, a trait that has made me a confidant to many friends both in school and at home. Reflecting on personal life, I find that some of the skills I possess are a reflection of my personal trait. For instance, I learned first aid skills so that I could be of help in any emergency medical situations. Conclusion Psychological growth is an imperative part of the life of every individual. This growth must not only take place, but it must be healthy and in a way that allows the said individual to identify with internal self and the surrounding environment as well. My experiences in learning how to use a lawn mower without being taught by anybody but solely through observation, and my ability to adopt very well at school gave me quite a number of lessons. Several life aspects can be learnt through intuition. Through keen observation, one is able to master, internalize and emulate actions based on the desired outcome. For instance, I was able to learn how to use a lawn mower because I had the motivation to learn: motivation that arose from the fact that I always admired to make the compound as clean as my father used to. This therefore implies that for one to learn something through observation, there must be an insatiable need within the person. It is out of this need that interest develops, which then translates to the quest for such knowledge or skill. Erickson’s Fidelity: identity vs. role confusion stage is indeed a life defining stage with interesting developmental impact. Entry into this stage begins with basic identity crisis with notable role confusion in different facets of life. However, as the stage progresses, the role confusion metamorphoses into mature identity clarity with most people shifting into Love: intimacy vs. isolation stage at about age 20. At this Fidelity stage, I was able to develop Agreeableness as the overarching personal trait. These two instances therefore points to the fact that development is a multi-faceted life event. Being creative, opportunistic and rational are some of the traits I was able to express in the instance and circumstance I found myself in. Works Cited King, Laura A. The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. Read More