Alixa: My Observant Niece

Social Learning Theory  

In relation to Social Learning Theory by Albert Bandura. Let me share with you a story about my niece who was born in the peak of computer age. Here's how it goes...

Have you ever wondered how watching TV, scrolling through social media, or playing video games can shape a child's view of the world? I see it every day with my niece, and it’s fascinating and a bit concerning. I have 6 nieces but this particular niece of mine named Alexa is what I want to share with you. 

First, let us define what social learning theory is, this theory suggests that people learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modeling. This theory emphasizes the importance of observing and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. I also connected this theory with Cultivation Theory by Gerbner.

My niece is a bright, curious, and lively child. Like many kids her age, she loves watching cartoons, YouTube videos, and playing games on her tablet. Here’s how I’ve noticed media shaping her: Perception of beauty, behavior and language, and fear of safety. Perception of Beauty, she often talks about looking like her favorite cartoon princesses. She even asks for dresses and accessories that resemble what these characters wear. This shows how media sets standards of beauty for her. Behavior and Language, sometimes, she mimics phrases and actions she sees in shows. If a character uses a particular catchphrase or behaves in a certain way, she tends to copy it. This can be cute but also makes me think about the kinds of behavior she's learning. Fear of Safety, after watching certain shows or news segments, she sometimes feels scared about things that are unlikely to happen. For instance, she once saw a news report about a rain and flooding and when is started to rain heavily that night, she’d cry. 

Watching my niece grow and learn through media has been an eye-opener. It’s amazing to see how much influence TV shows, games, and social media have on her perceptions and behavior. By understanding social learning theory, we can see how children learn by observing and imitating the behaviors they see on screens. This awareness allows us to better guide children in navigating their media-rich world, ensuring they grow up with a healthy and realistic view of life.

Remember, it’s not about cutting out media entirely, but about creating a balanced usage for every child of this generation.


Jovelyn Mondano

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Tala by Kyla Shook Up the Local Jewelry Market with Diffusion of Innovations Theory

Image
From where I live in the Philippines, there's a local brand name Tala by Kyla, owned by a 23- year-old woman named Kyla Cañete. She started her brand from scratch and now earns 8 figures a month. Let us discover how her brand has taken on the local market and never looked back.  Looking back to ‘Tala by Kyla’s’ history, it is a local jewelry brand in the Philippines that started last 2018. It was her love for accessories that drive her passion into creating her own empire. She makes very beautiful jewelries with high quality materials at a very affordable price. Her target audience are the Gen-Z as she is a Gen-Z herself and specifically students and of course I am among them. It wasn’t on the year of 2023 when Tala by Kyla skyrocket the local market and was featured in various news like GMA, NYLON Manila, Lifestyle, and many other more.  But how did this brand rose up to market and became a trend that every business owner wants to copy it? Even before, there were alread...
Read more

Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Beliefs Vs Actions

At some point in life, we will encounter a situation where our mentality will be challenged. That situation will require us to make important choices, often involving sacrifices and hard decisions. This exact situation happened to me years ago, when some elders I knew and respected deeply because of childhood memories lost my respect due to a series of incomprehensible actions.  When I was a kid, every May, there was always an event called ‘Flores de Mayo’ or ‘Flowers of May’ in English. It’s a Catholic event to celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary. Together with my childhood friends, we would eagerly anticipate this occasion every summer because it was always so much fun. This tradition continued for many summers until I became one of the teachers for the kids. Throughout these events, there were two elders who guided us on what to do. They were also the direct connection to the Catholic Church for our community whenever we needed a service from the priest.  Then the p...
Read more

Nudge Theory: Highlighting the Influence of Others

In an ocean of people, how many of them do you think will have the same principles as you? Who among them will change that perspective yours? And what will happen if your opinions are change? Let us uncover the theory of Richard Thaler, an economist who discovered the nudge theory. I am the type of person who makes choices simply because of empathy and it coincidentally aligns with others. I thought it was just really random not until I read this nudge theory. It now becomes clear that everyone makes decisions that are influenced by someone they admire or harbor deep feelings with and that decision aligns with them because it is somehow also connected with them.  Understanding nudge theory has helped me see how these subtle influences shape our daily lives. For instance, when I saw a close friend enthusiastically using a reusable water bottle, I felt inspired to do the same. It wasn’t just about being environmentally friendly; it was about aligning myself with someone I respect and...
Read more