Cognitive Psychology Articles

Difference Between Social Cognitive Theory and Social Learning Theory

Vineet Nanda

Updated on 26-Apr-2023 10K+ Views

Both social cognition theory and social learning theory attempt to explain how individuals pick up new social skills, with the former primarily focusing on the idea that people learn through observing others. Both ideas disregard intangibles like innate talent or background knowledge in favor of the observable actions of individuals. The term "social" is used to describe the way in which we learn and repeat activities that are not particularly social in character but are still influenced by our interactions with others. Both of these theories derive from behaviorist traditions in their emphasis on rote behavior at the expense ...