Social Learning Theory Research Articles

A participatory lens to enhance collaborative learning among university students in rural South Africa

Collaborative learning has been recognised as a highly effective approach to enhancing critical thinking, problem-solving, and overall academic performance. However, rural university students face unique challenges that may hinder their participation and engagement in collaborative learning activities. This gap may subsequently affect their learning effectiveness, leading to poor academic performance. Therefore, this study explores the challenges faced by rurally located university students in collaborative learning and strategies to enhance their participation. The study is underpinned by social learning theory and framed within a transformative paradigm using a qualitative research approach. Participatory Research was employed as a research design to provide inclusive opportunities for participants to be actively involved in the process of finding solutions to their problems. Focus group discussions were conducted to elicit information from 10 randomly selected rural university students enrolled in a particular module at a selected university in the Eastern Cape province. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the data. The results indicate that the main challenges faced by rural university students in collaborative learning include limited access to resources and technology, conflicting time schedules, and the unavailability of students. In contrast, providing adequate access to resources and technology, along with social and institutional support, is essential for enhancing collaborative learning among students in rural universities. In conclusion, promoting collaborative learning among rural university students requires universities to invest in adequate resources, implement flexible learning schedules, and create supportive learning environments.

Understanding the Mechanisms Mediating the Relationship Between Delinquent Peer Association and Adolescent Drug Use in the Greater China Region

Prior research on delinquent peer association and adolescent drug use predominantly examines the direct link between the two factors from the differential association/social learning perspective. The current study, based on survey data among 8,027 secondary school students sampled from three major cities in the Greater China Region, aims to elucidate this relationship further by identifying key mediators derived from several major criminological theories and perspectives, including social learning theory, lifestyle/routine activity theory, general strain theory, and the opportunity perspective. This study finds that significant mediators include pro-drug use attitudes, crime victimization, and drug availability, with pro-drug use attitudes exerting the most substantial influence on adolescent drug use. These results underscore the complexity of the relationship between delinquent peer association and adolescent drug use, advocating for a multifaceted theoretical approach for comprehensive understanding.

Group-based versus individual parenting programs: A meta-analysis of effects on parents.

Parenting programs aim to motivate change in parents' behaviors, perceptions, and knowledge to promote desirable changes in children's adjustment and behavior. Parenting programs are typically delivered in a group-based or individual format, and it is unknown which format most effectively supports parents. On the one hand, group-based programs may be more effective since they provide access to peer-based support. On the other hand, individual programs may be more successful since they offer a tailored approach. Therefore, this meta-analysis investigated which delivery format is most effective in optimizing child behavior management (i.e., positive reinforcement and nonviolent discipline), parenting stress, and parental depressive symptoms. Studies were selected from the systematic review by Backhaus et al. (2023). Our sample included evaluations of 121 group-based and 41 individual programs based on social learning theory principles. Robust variance estimation indicated that parents' child behavior management and parenting stress improved in both delivery formats. In contrast, parental depressive symptoms improved only in group-based programs. Our findings suggest that whether parents benefit more from a group-based or individual program in part depends on the outcome examined. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to understand parents' goals to effectively guide them toward the most appropriate parenting program delivery format. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Determinants of experiences and perceptions of corruption: A case study of Russian regions

In this article, the main determinants of experiences and perceptions of corruption in the Russian regions are analyzed. The research focuses on evaluating the determinants of corruption among ordinary people and business representatives in three regions of Russia. The main objectives of the research are: to reveal the relationship of individual characteristics and attitudes toward corruption with citizens’ actual experiences and perceptions of corruption; to learn how experiences and perceptions of corruption influence each other. The main conclusion is that the experience of corruption and its perception are interrelated. Those members of both the general public and the business community who perceive the prevalence of corruption to be high report experiencing corrupt practices more often than those who see a lower frequency of corruption. People who justify corruption are more likely to report encountering bribery and other low-level corruption practices. For business corruption, tolerance of corruption shows a significant link with perception of corruption, but not with real experiences of corruption. Social learning theory and victimization theory can explain the interdependence of perceptions and experiences of corruption in the Russian regions. The indicators of both perception and experience of corruption in the research can be used as indirect measures of corruption. Their interrelation in the same survey may also indicate their validity as instruments for measuring corruption.

Analisis Tokoh Kartini dalam Teori Bandura

This research aims to analyze the personality of R.A. Kartini using Albert Bandura's social learning theory, focusing on the concepts of reciprocal determinism, cognition and self-regulation, self-efficacy, self-system, and the stages of learning through behavior. Kartini, a figure who advocated for gender equality and women's education, displayed a strong intrinsic drive despite facing social and cultural barriers. Through Bandura’s theory, this study explores how Kartini’s social environment, internal values, and life experiences influenced her efforts in creating social change. The findings show that Kartini's personality reflects a complex interaction between individual factors, the environment, and behavior, all contributing to her significant achievements in women's rights.

Exploring the Role of DingTalk for Teaching and Learning English Listening Skills in Blended Learning Environments

This study explores how digital platforms such as DingTalk can be used to teach and learn English listening skills as one of the tools for blended learning instructions. These platforms offer synchronous and asynchronous learning methods and provide students with a flexible and interactive platform that promotes real-time communication, peer feedback, and self-paced learning. Although this platform has shown potential benefits for improving listening comprehension using constructivist and social learning theories, drawbacks include technological limitations, insufficient platform features for listening instruction, effective instructional design, and students' need for digital literacy. This article highlights the importance of Dingtalk as one of the tools for blended teaching and learning and the issues to be addressed so this platform can be used to help students' English listening skills. The changes in the dominance of technology in education, like AI and AR, need to be considered for blended learning. The findings suggest that to help students' learning outcomes using this digital platform, educational institutions and teachers need to adapt to the needs of their students continuously.

A tale of two disasters: Unpacking how social learning from the Ebola epidemic shaped COVID‐19 response in informal settlements in Freetown

AbstractPrior disaster experiences often provide lessons for communities to respond to new disasters. In informal communities prone to disasters but conditioned within reactive disaster management regimes, residents and Community‐Based Organizations (CBOs) play immense roles in disaster risk reduction and response. In Freetown, Sierra Leone, limited government disaster capacities during health disasters like Ebola and the COVID‐19 pandemic occasioned community action led by residents and CBOs. This paper, utilizing qualitative data, draws on the social learning theory to unpack how residents’ and CBOs’ experiences with the Ebola epidemic provided profound lessons that contributed to the COVID‐19 pandemic response in two informal communities. Findings highlight how prior disaster experiences consolidate memory and generate attention, retention, motivation, and reproduction of lessons for future disasters. The paper also fronts how lessons from peoples’ lived experiences with disasters can offer pluralistic ways of knowing about disasters and responding to future risks through co‐productive and equitable strategies.

“I think they only study seawater”: Oceanography classroom career panel as a tool to promote geoscience career awareness

The utilization of a professional geoscience career panel as a curricular classroom activity can be essential for promoting career awareness. By interacting with professionals, students can be exposed to diverse geoscientific careers, helping them understand various professional paths and the real-world applications of their studies. Using social constructivism and critical reflection theories of learning, we designed and implemented a two-day career panel attended by ten ocean scientists in an undergraduate oceanography course for majors and non-majors. We used a qualitative, quasi-experimental design involving pre-and-post reflection data collected from the treatment group (n = 22) and control group (n = 19), and five post-treatment interviews to evaluate the effectiveness of the career panel on students’ ocean science career awareness. While the pre-reflections revealed that students in both the treatment and control groups had low awareness and knowledge about ocean science careers and practice, students in the treatment group showed improved awareness about ocean science careers and disciplines, processes of ocean science work, and the social and cultural impact of ocean science work after attending the career panel. Students in the treatment group also showed increased interest in ocean science and geosciences in general. Results indicate classroom career panel that include personal narratives, discussions, and students’ critical reflections can be effective tools to promote career awareness and interest in the geosciences. We provide implications for geoscience education such as supplementing classroom career panel with hands-on activities (e.g., job simulations), advanced organizers (e.g., worksite visits), and experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships) as instructional tools to promote students’ career awareness.

Devoted or addicted?Modeling gaming addiction in eSports

eSports is enjoyed by many gamers worldwide; however, gaming addiction poses a serious challenge for eSports users and society. This study employs social learning theory (SLT) as an overarching theory to examine how eSports consumption can lead to addiction and identify users who are at higher risk of developing addictive behavior. We employed a face-to-face survey of 230 Brazilian eSports users to develop and test a model of gaming addiction in eSports, which was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings revealed positive and significant relationships between eSports athlete role model influence and user devotion, user devotion and gaming addiction, and gaming addiction and guilt. Furthermore, the relationship between eSports athletes role model influence and guilt is sequentially mediated by user devotion and gaming addiction, and users with lower (higher) levels of competitiveness are more (less) at risk of addiction. This is the first study to provide a consumer psychology perspective on user behavior that offers novel insights into the interplay between eSports athletes role model influence, user devotion, and competitiveness in driving addictive behavior. Importantly, the findings reveal the significant role of competitiveness in buffering against gaming addiction. Theoretically, our model, underpinned by SLT, demonstrates that the social environment, personal factors, and gaming addiction itself are reciprocally related to each other in determining addictive behavior. This conceptualization implies that interventions targeting one factor impact all other factors as gaming addiction is continually evolving in response to changes in the environment and the user.

Perceptual Variables and Nascent Entrepreneurship in Selected Latin American Countries.

Abstract Purpose: Provide empirical evidence of the impact of perceptual variables and beliefs on a person's decision to join or not to join the group of nascent entrepreneurs. Methodology: Logistic regression applied to the most recent data from nine Latin American countries available in the 2018 GEM survey. Following existing literature, we interconnect perceptual variables with control variables in the form of sociodemographic characteristics. Results: New entrepreneurs tend to depend more on subjective perceptions than on sociodemographic variables. Evidence suggests that having the confidence of possessing the necessary knowledge and skills plus knowing a model entrepreneur are inseparable variables with the greatest impact on the decision to become an entrepreneur. Our results also suggest that entrepreneurial knowledge does not necessarily originate from formal classroom education, as this variable was found to be not significant in the model. This supports the hypothesis that confidence in one's knowledge and abilities result from the contact with other entrepreneurs who serve as role models, instructors and mentors, which is consistent with Social Learning Theory.

Campaign against living miserably: A look from social learning theory (SLT)

ABSTRACT The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) aims at advocating against suicide and changing the way mental health is addressed in everyday conversation. Social learning theory (SLT) explains how people imitate others’ behaviors—for example, through a process called learning by imitation. Observation and imitation are vital aspects of how people develop behaviors and habits. One of these behaviors is highly negative and controversial: suicide and the unhealthy mental health relationships that come with it. People can emulate the death of another by copying their behavior, sometimes without even entirely meaning to do so. This paper applies the tenets of SLT—i.e. attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation—to aspects of CALM and to the negative impacts of phenomena such as social media influencers (SMIs) and celebrity suicides. What makes this approach interesting is that the CALM campaign can benefit from the use of one of the longest-established theories in the fields of psychology and communication. More precisely, regarding mental health and the media, most studies have focused on how social media is causing depression or anxiety. This is why this manuscript adds fresh insights by using key SLT precepts to raise awareness as to how these suicidal thoughts and symptoms form.

Sibling and best friend conflict resolution strategies among Mexican-origin youth

Sibling relationships evolve into a more egalitarian relationship dynamic resembling friendships during adolescence, potentially facilitating the transfer of interpersonal skills across relationships. This study investigates cross-relationship associations in conflict resolution strategies with siblings and friends. Research on family-peer linkages, largely focused on White populations, often overlook the role of siblings in other ethnoracial contexts. Drawing on social learning theory, we examined mean-level differences on conflict resolution strategy use with siblings versus friends and how conflict resolution strategies with siblings were related to those with friends. Participants were older ( M = 15.48; SD = 1.57) and younger siblings ( M = 12.55; SD = .60) in 246 Mexican-origin families. Adolescents reported on their use of solution-oriented, nonconfrontational, and controlling strategies with one another and their best friends, which reflect varying considerations for oneself, others, and their relationship. Multilevel ANOVAs suggest that adolescents typically use more adaptive strategies with friends than with siblings. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models revealed significant positive associations between actor-reported conflict resolution strategies with siblings and friends, even when accounting for relationship intimacy and conflict, expressive personality characteristics, and familism values, suggesting congruence across relationships. Cross-strategy analyses indicated that controlling strategies with siblings were correlated with all strategies with friends, while nonconfrontational strategies with siblings negatively related to solution-oriented strategies with friends. These findings highlight how sibling and friend experiences shape adolescents’ interpersonal skills and suggest avenues for future research on the enduring impact on social development.

Effectiveness of TVET Training in Harnessing Skills Development amongst the Youths in Kisumu County, Kenya

The global challenge of TVET is ensuring that vocational education systems are inclusive, industry-relevant and aligned with the needs of the 21st-century labor market. Without addressing issues like funding, perception and curriculum development, TVET systems may continue to fall short in equipping young people with the skills needed for employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development. For this reason, this study sought to examine effectiveness of TVET Training in Harnessing Skills Development Amongst the Youths in Kisumu County, Kenya. The founding theoretical frameworks were: Human capital theory, social learning theory and empowerment theory. Descriptive survey was used. Target population was 20,857 comprising of 20,814 TVET students, 42 Heads of TVET institutions and 1 County Education Officer in Kisumu County Government. A sample size of 379 was determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) model. Disproportionate stratified random sampling was used to select respondents. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and interview guide. Data was analyzed through content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson`s Correlation analysis was used to determine linear relationships between variables. For the coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.96, it implied a very strong positive relationship between TVET training and skill development. Government as policy-maker was recommended to institute regular reform for reviewing the existing TVET curricula in order to incorporate feedback from students and adapt to emerging dynamics of demographic dividends.

Unveiling the Impact of Influencer Attributes on Purchase Intention of Gen Z: The Moderating Role of Parasocial Interaction

This study investigates the impact of social media influencer attributes, namely source credibility, social presence and influencer inspiration on the purchase intention of Gen Z consumers, considering the moderating effect of parasocial interaction. The conceptual model was created by combining the social learning theory, the social presence theory and the parasocial theory to examine and comprehend the key characteristics of social media influencers and the role they play in attracting Gen Z consumers. The study adopted a quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 303 Generation Z consumers in India. The hypothesized model was tested using SMART PLS-4 through the use of structural equation modelling analysis. Source credibility and influencer inspiration were found to influence the Gen Z cohort’s purchase intention favourably. However, it was found that social presence did not significantly influence Gen Z consumers’ purchase intention. The results of the moderation analysis indicate that parasocial interaction positively moderated the relationship between source credibility and purchase intention and did not have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between influencers’ social presence, inspiration and purchase intention of Gen Z consumers. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed, thus adding to the emergent literature on influencer marketing.

Exploring elementary school student's understanding and experience of pancasila values in using the tiktok application: a qualitative study

This research aims to explore elementary school students' understanding and experience of Pancasila values in using the TikTok application. The background to this research focuses on the increasingly dominant influence of social media in children's lives and the need to understand how Pancasila values are internalized in the digital era. The research method used is a qualitative approach with data collection techniques in the form of in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), and participatory observation. Participants in this study consisted of 30 students in grades 4 to 6 from three elementary schools in Indonesia, as well as their parents and teachers. The research results show that students have a theoretical understanding of Pancasila values, but their application in using TikTok is still limited. Students are more likely to be exposed to entertainment content than educational content that reflects Pancasila values. Parents and teachers play an important role in supervising and guiding students' use of TikTok. However, further efforts are needed to bridge the gap between understanding and practicing Pancasila values on social media. The conclusions of this research emphasize the importance of a holistic approach in teaching Pancasila values, by using social media wisely. Social Learning Theory highlights the importance of observation, imitation, and self-efficacy in this learning process. With collaboration between educators, parents and content creators, TikTok can be used as an effective tool to educate and internalize Pancasila values in students.

Professionalism lapses in health professions training: Navigating the 'Yellow Card' moments for transformative learning.

Health professions training programmes face increasing reports of professionalism lapses, which can delay, or end, trainee progression. How programmes respond to professionalism lapses to facilitate professional identity development has not been clarified. The objective of this study is to identify factors that facilitate and impair transformations around professionalism lapses in health professions training programmes. We conducted a qualitative study interviewing 5 faculty and 20 trainees with firsthand or secondhand experience with professionalism lapses from a range of health professions training programmes at McMaster University. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we coded verbatim transcripts informed by the lenses of social and transformative learning theories. We constructed themes through iterative and comparative analysis, seeking meaningful variation across professions and triangulating faculty and trainee perspectives. Four themes were constructed. First, lapses are in the eye of the beholder with personal definitions intersecting with institutional and situation norms. Difficulties exist in recognising and convincing trainees to respond to lapses that are perceived to be minor or subject to interpretation. Second, responses to professionalism lapses occurred within power hierarchies, which impacted how trainees reacted to the remediation process, risked superficial trainee responses to concerns and led to concerns around inequitable treatment in how standards were applied. Third, fostering transformation involves building trainee confidence, agency, trust and engagement. Focused support and advocacy for trainees can empower and promote agency in tackling disorienting lapses. Fourth, perspective shifts involve deep engagement over time, including but not limited to self-reflection, structured discussion and seeking support. Identifying and addressing professionalism lapses is complex and requires nuanced and contextual exploration of personal, institutional and situational dynamics at play. By fostering environments that promote genuine reflection and dialogue and focus on building trainee confidence, agency, trust and engagement, health professions training programmes can better support trainees in navigating these complex situations and contribute to the broader goal of socialising to a professional culture and practice.

Listening to Teachers’ Feedback on How INSIGHTS Into Children’s Temperament Transforms Classroom Management Approaches

INSIGHTS is an evidence-based, comprehensive intervention that enhances the social-emotional development and academic learning of young children (aged 3–8 years) and their parents’ and teachers’ behaviour management skills. Children also learn problem-solving strategies to resolve dilemmas with parents, teachers, and peers. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore teachers’ views on how INSIGHTS into Children’s Temperament transformed their classroom management approaches. The programme is underpinned by theoretical frameworks for temperament-based intervention: Goodness of Fit Model (2), which purports that the environment should be adjusted to align with the temperament of a child; and social learning theory. Both frameworks offer theoretical explanations on how the environment interacts with children’s temperament.

Trust Assessment Skills Among Close Friends in a Ubiquitous Social Media Environment

For ages, individuals have relied on trust assessment skills to evaluate spoken words and accompanying body language social signals (BLSS) in friendships. This interactive process seeks to avoid harmful associations and unreliable information. However, with widespread social media use, assessment of BLSS is difficult, and users commonly report harm from defective estimations of interactions. This study evaluates how individuals adjust their trust assessment skills for close social media friendships, given the importance they place on BLSS in its role as a moderator. The research utilizes PLS-SEM, ANOVA, and cluster analysis to evaluate 247 U.S. online survey participants aged 18 to 67. The study adapts Mayer et al.’s trust model using social learning and cognitive dissonance theories. The independent variables, ability, benevolence, and integrity, strongly predict the dependent trust belief. In line with cognitive dissonance theory, BLSS has a negative and significant moderating effect on ability. BLSS reflects a small effect and widely insignificant moderating relationship with benevolence; analysis shows that a moderating relationship should not apply to benevolence. Counter to the hypothesized direction, BLSS produced a positive moderating effect on integrity, which was insignificant by a narrow margin. The analysis explains the basis for the positive relationship. Lastly, statistical analysis reveals an age-based shift in the relevancy of BLSS; younger users place less importance on BLSS, whereas older users place more importance on BLSS. This position for younger users aligns with their exposure and acclimation to social environments with widespread mobile communication and social media use since childhood.

Casting a Long Shadow: Examining the Relationships between Vicarious and Direct Racism and Generalized Trust among Asian Communities in New Zealand during COVID-19

Utilizing a social learning perspective, this study investigated the associations between vicarious and direct racism and generalized trust among Asian communities in New Zealand during COVID-19, highlighting the comparability of their effects. Data from a cross-sectional online survey conducted in 2021 (N=1,377), were utilized to estimate the prevalence of vicarious and direct racism experiences and the distribution of since-COVID generalized trust. Linear regression was used to assess the association between experiences of racism and shifts in generalized trust. Findings indicate that almost 40% of participants experienced racism, with vicarious experiences of physical violence and unfair treatment being more prevalent, while direct experiences of microaggressions and verbal/written abuse were more common. Female, younger, Chinese, and South East Asian participants, those for whom English is a first language, and students reported disproportionate reductions in generalized trust. Negative associations were identified between vicarious and direct racism experiences and changes in generalized trust. Crucially, our analysis reveals that vicarious microaggression experiences have a greater negative association with generalized trust than direct experiences, challenging prevailing perceptions of their significance. Emphasizing a comprehensive approach to eliminating all forms of racism, the findings support the need for critical scrutiny of media reporting of racism and its influence on trust.

Enhancing online safety: The impact of social media violent content and violence among teens in Illinois

The ongoing prevalence and increasing rate of violence in the United States, particularly among teenagers, is a major concern for many families. Numerous incidents of gun-related violence involving teens have been reported. Concurrently, there has been a significant rise in social media usage among teenagers, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where violent content is often consumed. This paper aims to explore the relationship between the consumption of violent media content among teens and the prevalence of aggressive behaviours and violence which might include gun violence, drawing on the social learning theory. To conduct this research, an experiment will be carried out in a laboratory setting with 50 participants who are freshmen at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. These participants will be exposed to various forms of violent content to assess their levels of aggressiveness and attitudes using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ) following the exposure. It is anticipated that the participants' aggression levels on the BPAQ will be high, thereby supporting the proposed correlations. Consequently, it is imperative to consider utilizing AI technology to enhance algorithms and recommendation systems that can help mitigate the dissemination of gun-related and violent content to teenagers.