Does Social Learning Theory Really Explain My Personality Development?

Social Learning Theory and My Personality

Social Learning Theory suggests that behaviors are learned by observing and imitating others, whether they be persons who are one's peers, persons in a social group, role models, family members, celebrities, characters on TV, etc. The theory suggests that since behavior is learned from watching, one's behavior can be changed if one modifies or changes the surroundings. It asserts that individuals accept as normative behavior that which they see and can rationalize it to themselves even if the behavior does not initially appear to be normative. . This theory is used by Grusec (1992) as support for the claim that "children are socialized to accept the standards and values of their society" (p. 785). Here, Grusec illustrates the fundamental perspective of the theory, which is that individuals accept and imitate what they perceive to be norms around them and these become the normal standards and values that they develop within themselves.

This theory applies to my personality in a number of ways. When I was little I imitated my older brothers in everything they did. They played baseball when they were younger, so I accepted it as normal that I too should play baseball, even though I could not think of any reason why I should or really even find any feeling of fondness for the activity within myself. Another example is that they played in the school band so I accepted it as normal that I too should play in the band (though I really did not enjoy this either).

In school, the theory helps to explain my personality even more. When I was at home, I was taught to act a certain way -- not to curse, not to listen to bad music or go to bad movies, and not to engage in bad activities. But when I got to school I saw other kids doing all of these things that I was taught not to do. However, from watching my peers and wanting not only to be accepted by them but also to accept them as normal, I began to see value in cursing, listening to the bad music, watching the bad movies, doing the things my family had tried to teach me not to do. At home it was easy to accept these teachings as normal because everyone in my family followed them (apparently). But outside the home it was more difficult.

I also imitated the way popular people dressed, bought clothes that were trendy among people I admired. I cultivated a personality that was laid-back because of certain individuals who had this personality. I like them and wanted to be like them so modeled my personality on their own. There were, however, some persons whom I did not like, who never appealed to me at all, and whose behavior I never wanted to imitate because it either went so directly against what I had been taught at home or it contradicted some belief or value I had cultivated within myself based on the use of my own reason and the awareness of some innate sense of justice, right and wrong within myself.