IB Sports, exercise and health science C.1.1.2 Social Learning Theory and Its Role in Shaping Behavior Through Observation Notes

Social Learning Theory

1. Individuals learn behaviours, attitudes, and consequences from others in their social environment.
2. Behaviours are acquired through observation and imitation.
3. Personality traits do not determine or restrict an athlete's potential due to social learning.
4. Social learning theory is a situational approach that complements the trait approach by showing people pick up behaviours, attitudes, and habits from the people around them.
5. Reinforcement is not required for SLT to work: an athlete can pick up a behaviour just from watching it happen successfully to someone else.
6. The higher the regard for the role model, the more likely the behaviour is to be replicated, which is why coaches, captains, and senior teammates carry such weight.
7. Pairing newer players with senior teammates who model preparation, communication, and recovery turns the team itself into a learning environment, and the coach's job is to make sure the behaviours on display are the ones worth copying.

SLT's Four Constructs

1. Competencies and skills → Knowledge and abilities.
2. Beliefs and expectancies – Personal perceptions and predictions.
3. Behavioural (evaluative) standards – Internal guidelines for actions.
4. Personal goals – Aspirations and motivations.

A. Competencies and Skills

1. People judge personality based on how someone speaks or appears (e.g., seeming shy or outgoing).
2. Perception of others is influenced by self-competence.
   1. A person may appear introverted due to a lack of confidence in a task, not because they are naturally shy.
   2. Behavior is linked to actual skills and self-expectations of performance.

B. Beliefs and Expectancies

1. Beliefs → Relate to how the world is.
   1. Example: How well someone is performing in a team.
2. Expectancies → Relate to what an individual thinks will happen in the future.
   1. Example: What they expect regarding their role in the team.

C. Behavioural Standards

1. Behavioural (evaluative) standards → Personal criteria for assessing one's own behaviour.
2. Personal standards → Essential for motivation and performance.
3. Standards are a form of self-evaluation and emotional response:
   1. Satisfaction → When we meet our standards.
   2. Dissatisfaction → When we fail to meet our standards.
   3. This forms an internal guidance system, shaping behaviour.
   4. Contrasts with behaviourist theory, which argues behaviour is shaped by external environmental forces.