PhD/PsyD RIP Albert Bandura

[R. Matey]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

My dissertation research was in social cognitive theory so I felt this one. I remember a summer in graduate school spent outside on my apartment deck with the library copy of Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Many of his achievements are axioms in the field now, but it was interesting to read about the controversies then. I know I shouldn't like constructs, but I have also found his theoretical work in self-efficacy optimistic and inspirational. Great obit below.

Albert Bandura, Leading Psychologist of Aggression, Dies at 95 (Published 2021)

He was most known for his Bobo doll experiment, in which children mimicked adults in attacking an inflatable doll. The work challenged basic tenets of psychology.

www.nytimes.com

 

[WisNeuro]

Everyone remember to punch an inflatable doll today in his honor. 🙁

 

[Sanman]

Everyone remember to punch an inflatable doll today in his honor. 🙁

Can I just punch a clown instead?

 

[WisNeuro]

Can I just punch a clown instead?

If they are the type of clown spouting anti-vaxx nonsense and wearing a red MAGA hat, sure 🙂

 

[cara susanna]

Haha, this makes me think of my professor who was a HUGE behaviorist and he constantly talked down Bandura.

 

[MiniLop]

Everyone remember to punch an inflatable doll today in his honor. 🙁

Could I just watch you punch it instead?

 

[WisNeuro]

Could I just watch you punch it instead?

I am a little behind on my boxing workouts. I'll go put on some wraps.

 

[Sanman]

I am a little behind on my boxing workouts. I'll go put on some wraps.

This just reminds me that I want a heavy bag/speed bag combo in my workout room and have absolutely no space for it, thanks Bobo.

 

[WisNeuro]

This just reminds me that I want a heavy bag/speed bag combo in my workout room and have absolutely no space for it, thanks Bobo.

Garage?

 

[Sanman]

Garage?

Was thinking about it, but I have it currently setup for woodwork on one side as I am redoing the screened back porch and I am trying to clear the other side up to work on the old sports car I have been neglecting. First world problems...

 

[CheetahGirl]

RIP. Same...social cognitive theory was in my dissertation also.

 

[futureapppsy2]

Haha, this makes me think of my professor who was a HUGE behaviorist and he constantly talked down Bandura.

Not a fan of rule-governed behavior?

 

[cara susanna]

Not a fan of rule-governed behavior?

He did not believe that one could learn through modeling.

 

[thebalmofhurtminds]

He did not believe that one could learn through modeling.

Had he met a child?

 

[Ollie123]

Had he met a child?

Or an adult for that matter. This sounds like the silliness that makes me not like behaviorism even though its pretty much the core of everything I do. If he is anything like some of the behaviorists I know, I'm betting that when pressed, this person would agree that people learn from watching others, but come up with an elaborate and largely non-sensical functional analysis for how that happens that accounts for a narrow subset of modeling, relies on a bunch of wild assumptions and basically describes the exact process non-behaviorists would use to describe modeling but using behaviorist terms, then insist that modeling isn't a thing and behaviorism is the one true religion. Or something like that.

RIP Albert. Never had a chance to meet you, but my colleagues who have always had incredibly positive things to say about you as both a scientist and a human being.

 

[cara susanna]

Or an adult for that matter. This sounds like the silliness that makes me not like behaviorism even though its pretty much the core of everything I do. If he is anything like some of the behaviorists I know, I'm betting that when pressed, this person would agree that people learn from watching others, but come up with an elaborate and largely non-sensical functional analysis for how that happens that accounts for a narrow subset of modeling, relies on a bunch of wild assumptions, but basically describes the exact process non-behaviorists would use to describe modeling but using behaviorist terms, then insist that modeling isn't a thing and behaviorism is the one true religion. Or something like that.

RIP Albert. Never had a chance to meet you, but my colleagues who have always had incredibly positive things to say about you as both a scientist and a human being.

It's been a long time since I heard his explanation, but your summary is pretty accurate from what I remember.