Basic dimensions of the social learning theory

According to the social learning theory, learning is viewed as knowledge acquisition through the mental processing of information. 

 

The basic dimensions of the social cognitive learning theory are symbolizing, forethought, vicarious learning, self-control, and self-efficacy. According to the theory, people watch others and develop mental pictures of their behavior and its results (through symbolizing, employees process visual experiences into cognitive models that serve to guide their behavior, and using forethought, employees plan their actions, anticipate consequences, and determine the levels of desired performance). 

 

People perceive information from the environment and their coworkers, and process that information to develop a mental concept of the likely consequences of their own performance of that behavior. New behaviors may develop through vicarious learning, where a learner observes a model's behavior and its consequences, or through self-control learning, where a new behavior is learned even though there is no external pressure to do so. 

 

In both cases, the individual's level of self-efficacy (i.e., their level of confidence in their ability to perform a specific task in a particular situation) will influence that individual's choices of tasks as well as the amount of effort and persistence expended trying to reach their goals.