Social learning theory was developed by:

• A. Albert Bandura
• B. Jean Piaget
• C. B. F. Skinner
• D. Erik Erikson

Answer: (A)

Social learning theory centers on learning that happens by watching others and then imitating what is observed, especially when the model is rewarded or admired. Albert Bandura developed this approach, showing through the Bobo doll experiments that children imitate aggressive acts after observing them, even without direct reinforcement. The theory highlights mediating processes—attention, memory, reproduction, and motivation—that determine whether observed behavior is learned and later performed. It also evolved into social cognitive theory, enriching the idea with self-efficacy, the belief in one’s own ability to act successfully.

Piaget focuses on how children construct knowledge through developmental stages, Skinner emphasizes learning via direct reinforcement in operant conditioning, and Erikson maps psychosocial development across life stages. The developer of social learning theory is Albert Bandura.