Theories of Psychology in Group Work

¶ … Psychology in Group Work

Learning Theory

There are many theories that describe the process of human development. Most of us have identified with the learning theory. The learning theory has been given credit because it makes sense. In this article, we shall discuss one theory, which the author developed in an educational setting. The focus is on Bandura who is the key theorist in his learning theory (Agnew, 2007). Behaviors are taken into focus in Bandura's learning theory. The theory is significantly useful offering techniques of teaching and modifying of behavior. In the following sections, examples are going to be provided. This study will begin with clarification of the basic concept of the specified theory. This will be followed with a discussion of the theory's practical use: both classroom and clinical application (Bandura, 2006).

The learning theory of Bandura

The learning theory of Bandura provides that we learn from one another through modeling, imitation, and observation. This theory has often been referred to as link between cognitive and behaviorist learning theories. This is because the theory has incorporated motivation, attention, and memory. Bandura provides suggestions, arguing that the learning process must be perceived through observation and modeling behaviors, emotional reactions, and attitudes. Based on his theory, some of the significant features that insinuate learning are as follows:

The features and attention of the observer (level of understanding, interest, and reinforcement of the observer)

Organization and retention of mental association

Both mental and physical practice and exercise

Observed and experienced consequence or motivation by performers of the task

Physical capabilities

Clinical Applications

The learning theory has quite a number of clinical applications. One example of the clinical application is a person trying to overcome the challenge of phobia trying to offer help to another person suffering from the same disorder. Bandura experimented people who had snake phobia. Such people viewed others who disguised being afraid of snakes getting closer to them but knew that they were pretending. The participants who took part in this tried and to their surprise and managed to overcome their fears (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010).

Classroom Applications

Bandura has employed the theory to design activities meant for both infants and pre-school children. Children usually learn by examples. An infant will always strive to try what they see especially activities that are accompanied with rewards. When communicating with a toddler, one must ensure eloquence, deliberate words, and complete sentences. Infants always transform what they hear to verbal. If the environment of the child is covered with a lot of violence, this is what the child will grow up to be. This might justify the reason why the author suggests the need to monitor the amount of television content that a child is exposed to viewing (Toseland & Rivas, 2012).

The most important period in life is the infancy stage, which is very significant to the basic needs of the child before the child can learn new things. With this tactic, the child can focus his or her attention somewhere else such as productive activities rather than its own wants and needs. In Bandura's theory, he argues that before a child is ready to learn, their needs must be satisfied first. This argument supports point where he states that attention is a necessity in learning by example. When a baby's needs are met, it will be easy to allow them focus more on other activities. Learning outcomes are improved when the activities at hand are prioritized (Gang & Akers, 2006).

If infants are held, scared and left hungry, they will not be able to learn. There is a certain time during infancy when all the needs of infants are met. Infants usually require frequent sleep, love, food, and reassurance thus the planning of lessons for infants is very difficult. At this stage, the infant usually learns from observation and exploration that takes place when the basic needs of the infant have been satisfied. The activities that take place are designed by Bandura's learning theory (Bandura, 2006). The learning process will amaze the infant. At first, the infant will only want to watch. Afterwards, the teacher may make out the specified shapes on top of the corresponding hole while giving the infant an allowance to push it. With time, the teacher may adjust and point where the teacher only picks out the correct shape and gives direction to where the shape belongs. The infant will eventually pick the shape and know where the shape fits. The final stage for this process takes place at sometime nearing childhood. At this stage, the child may be able to identify the block by shape and color verbally. The level of self-actualization comes when the child gains the confidence to perform tasks by themselves; the kids are then appreciated through encouragement (Toseland & Rivas, 2012).

An activity for early childhood would be creating an alphabetical puzzle. This offers many lessons at once. It is advisable to use a puzzle that has been printed on both sides and a picture that starts with the respective letter. When the child manages to put the puzzle together, it creates this urge in them to see other people assemble it. When the child assembles the puzzle for the first time, it sticks in his/her head and remembers how to fit it next time. The speed at which the child learns depends on their attention, motivation and their previous knowledge. Bandura's learning theory advises that the teacher have to pronounce the first letter of the beginning of the word as the child is searching the pieces. The child learns a lot from colors to shapes to the pronunciation of letters. This also assists the child in learning new information (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010).