Which of the following is a core concept in Bandura's theory of learning?

Bandura's theory of learning emphasizes the significance of observational learning, which is when individuals learn by watching the behaviors of others and the consequences that follow those behaviors. This concept highlights the idea that learning can occur in a social context and does not require direct personal experience or reinforcement. Observational learning involves several key processes, including attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation, which together enable individuals to acquire new behaviors.

In this context, while conditioning, operant reinforcement, and reinforcement theory are important aspects of learning theories, they primarily focus on direct reinforcement or punishment as a means of influencing behavior. Bandura's perspective expands on these ideas by introducing the idea that much learning occurs through the observation of role models, making it a foundational component of his social learning theory. This aspect of learning reflects the importance of social interactions in the learning process, setting it apart from other theories that focus exclusively on direct conditioning practices.