The concept of human development focuses on learning. Humans constantly learn, especially by observing others. This process is called observational learning. People replicate ideas or actions from their surroundings or media.
This paper defines observational learning and examines how social media exposure shapes behavior and attitudes through observation.
Observational learning involves gaining new behaviors, skills, or knowledge by watching others. Psychologist Albert Bandura studied this in his Social Learning Theory. His Bobo Doll Experiment showed that people, especially children, can learn behaviors by observing and imitating them. Both environmental and mental factors play a role.
This process has four stages:
Attention: The person observes the behavior.
Retention: They remember what they saw.
Reproduction: They have the ability to replicate the behavior.
Motivation: They choose whether to act on what they learned.
Social media extends observational learning. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube expose users to countless behaviors from influencers, friends, and public figures. These platforms show different lifestyles and practices, influencing how people think and act.
Social media examples include:
Learning recipes from cooking videos.
Adopting fitness routines shared by influencers.
Receiving likes and comments, which encourage imitation.
However, social media also misleads. Many influencers share unrealistic lifestyles or edited images. These set unattainable standards. Idealized content can lead to unhealthy comparisons or risky behaviors like extreme dieting. For example, a TikTok trend encouraged choking to experience fainting, which became dangerously popular.
Social media’s impact on observational learning is both positive and negative. Positive impacts include spreading educational content, inspiring creativity, and raising social awareness. Negative impacts include promoting unhealthy trends and misinformation.
The influence of social media on observational learning requires thoughtful consideration. People must critically evaluate what they see and decide what is worth imitating. Family and teachers can guide individuals to make better choices about what behaviors to adopt.
Observational learning is a strong tool for growth. Social media amplifies its reach. To benefit, people must use it wisely, balancing exposure and judgment.