Artist Frida Kahlo Cognitive Social Learning

Cognitive Social Learning and Artist Frida Kahlo
It is important to note, from the onset, that social-cognitive learning theory could be defined as “a theory of personality that features cognition and learning, especially from the social environment, as important sources of individual differences in personality.”1  Although Kahlo was married to Diego Rivera, their relationship was, from time to time, rocked by extramarital affairs emanating from both parties.  According to Tempesta2, Diego had earlier on had an affair with Kahlo’s sister.  This betrayal hurt her deeply and it could be speculated that her own extramarital affairs commenced as a consequence of this single act and were sustained by Diego’s playboy behaviors.  This is consistent with social learning theory whereby individuals model their behaviors along those of others.  Kahlo’s early childhood exposure to family life could also have ingrained in her specific familial values and belief systems especially with regard to her role as a wife.  According to Kettenmann3, the relationship Kahlo’s mother had with her daughters could be described as tense.  Kahlo could have become irresolute about bearing children of her own from interactions with her mother.  Towards this end, it should be noted that Kahlo secured several abortions even during her early marriage days.  Her move in this case is largely consistent with cognitive social learning theory whereby her observance of the outcomes of her parents’ union and mother’s distant self could have contributed towards her reluctance to replicate the situation.  It is also important to note that Kahlo was more of an introvert in her later life.  Apart from contracting polio when she was only 6, which had the effect of isolating her from peers for a lengthy period of time, Kahlo was involved in a serious traffic accident when she was 18 – an event that confined her to a hospital bed for a number of months as she underwent recovery.  Her introverted self could have been a consequence of little social exposure during these two periods of her life.