Long before formal schools or therapeutic offices existed, people learned in groups. In small communities, skills, values, and knowledge were passed on through working together, observing one another, and sharing stories. Historians point out that shared narratives played a central role in how communities created meaning and transmitted knowledge (Harari, 2014). Today, developmental psychology confirms that this group-based learning was not incidental.
Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Albert Bandura (1925–2021) was an American psychologist and an influential figure in modern psychology. He is best known for developing social learning theory. The core principle of Bandura’s theory is that children do not learn only through instruction—they also learn by observing others.
According to Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, children learn by:
- Observing others
- Noticing what works and what does not
- Imitating behaviour
- Receiving positive reinforcement (Bandura, 1977)
Social learning during group therapy
Social learning therefore forms an important part of the group therapy process. In a group, a child may, for example, observe a peer using a breathing technique when feeling anxious. They see that it helps. They see that the facilitator reinforces it. This observation increases the likelihood that the child will attempt the skill themselves.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice Hall.
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Albert Bandura | Biography, theory, experiment, & facts. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Albert-Bandura
Harari, Y. N. (2014). Sapiens: A brief history of humankind.
