Learning From Models
Shannon Hill, Ph.D.

ABCT
Generally when we talk about learning principles, we refer to behavioral processes; that is, people learn from the consequences of their actions. But is that the only way we learn? Most psychologists say no, we do not have to act in order to learn. Cognitive psychologists talk about the processes of thinking and logic, memory and attention as ways people learn without carrying out actions. Bridging the two theories is something called Social Learning Theory (SLT), largely the product of the work of Albert Bandura.

According to SLT, people can learn not only by directly experiencing consequences of their own actions, but also by observing the actions of others. This happens in one of three ways:
We receive desired consequences for repeating the behavior of the model (for example, when teenagers dress like their friends they are accepted socially into the group).

We experience internal satisfaction for repeating the behavior of the model (for example, when I follow the lead of my dance teacher I feel good about my performance).

We establish expectations and routines based on our observations (for example, the woman who cuts off the end of the ham before baking it, without knowing why, because that is what her mother always did).

The first two examples still depend on the person receiving some sort of consequence in order to learn; the other example simply occurs inside their own head. However, I will point out that the basic difference between SLT and behaviorism is the definition of learning. According to behaviorists, learning equals behavior change. Social learning theorists believe that learning may occur without behavior change (for example, I might watch someone dial in a safe combination and memorize it without ever using it).

In working with people who have intellectual disabilities, behavioral learning processes have been given much more attention than social learning processes. The most obvious reason for this is that by and large we want teaching methods that will result in behavioral change, not just "knowledge." In most real-world applications, knowledge is useless without behavior change. A second reason is that many of the social learning methods are built upon a person's desire to learn something; in our field, psychologists are generally working to teach something to someone who has no intrinsic desire to learn it.

Recent years, however, have seen a rise in interest in using SLT methods to teach people with various types of developmental disabilities to engage in pro-social behaviors. SLT methods are highly dependent upon models; that is, people to demonstrate the appropriate behavior. Methods have been developed using both live models and symbolic models (portrayed through television, radio, computers, etc.). Some of the live model interventions have included peer mentoring, in which peers are taught how to help one another to learn a specific skill and classroom social skills curricula that include role-plays. Symbolic models are used frequently through multi-media training materials (DVDs, CDROMs, etc.) in which actors play roles depicting the correct behavior in the learning situation.

The Roommates Groups Amanda Surdock led at The Baddour Center utilized this concept. The group members were shown clips of movies or television programs about interpersonal conflict within households and then they were to discuss the situation, their thoughts on the way it progressed and resolved, and how it related to issues in their own lives.

Roommates Group was just one way we've used Social Learning Theory at The Baddour Center, though. SLT concepts are imbedded in our Saturday Social Skills groups, as well. We utilize an approach developed by Daniel Tomasulo, called Interactive Behavior Therapy (IBT). IBT requires participants to act out situations rather than talk about them. In general, though, instead of acting out the problem, we ask them to act out a solution. Admittedly, the solution is sometimes hard to see when you are the person with the problem. So, we utilize our SLT concepts and have another group member play the part of the person who has the problem. IBT is based on much more than just SLT, though. It comes from a therapeutic intervention called psychodrama, in which people try out new approaches to problems by acting them out, as if in a play. This allows people to see a new outcome and to release some emotions they may have been storing in an unhealthy manner.

Psychodrama uses the other group members as a model, but also sometimes involves the person modeling a new behavior for themselves. Self-as-model is not a new concept. Behaviorists have used a method called positive practice for years, in which the person is asked to perform a behavior in a prescribed, repetitive fashion in order to establish it as a habit. However, the digital age has opened some new avenues for using self-modeling as a teaching tool. The wide availability of videoediting software enables psychologists to construct a video of a person performing a behavior and then allowing them to learn by simply viewing the video of him or herself. This could potentially solve the problem of motivation, mentioned earlier. Instead of requiring the person to perform the behavior correctly to become their own model, we can use video editing software to make it look like they did!

At The Baddour Center, we are very interested in learning how we can use SLT concepts most effectively. Which is more effective, live modeling or symbolic? How many times does a person have to see something modeled before it is learned and repeated consistently? Is self-modeling more effective than other models? As you can read in the rest of this edition of the newsletter, we are undertaking a variety of projects now to test some of these questions. We'll keep you posted!