After watching golf on TV several times with her father, 7-year-old Michelle learned how to swing a club even before she actually had one in her hands. What kind of learning took place?

What are your choices?

Can you consider modeling and/or imitation?

Sue the choices he would have been given were probably...

Operant Conditioning
Social Learning
Classical Conditioning
Cognitive Awareness

I Chose...Social Learning

The kind of learning that took place in this scenario is called observational learning or social learning. Observational learning refers to the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, or behaviors by watching and imitating others. In this case, Michelle learned how to swing a golf club by observing her father and watching golf on TV.

Observational learning involves several steps:

1. Attention: Michelle paid attention to her father and watched golf on TV, focusing on how they swing the club.

2. Retention: She remembered the actions and movements she observed in her memory.

3. Reproduction: Michelle attempted to replicate the swing she saw, even though she did not have a golf club yet.

4. Motivation: Michelle was likely motivated to imitate her father due to her interest in golf or her desire to bond with him.

5. Reinforcement: If Michelle's attempts at swinging the club were successful, she may have received positive reinforcement from her father, which would further encourage her to continue practicing and refining her swing.

It is important to note that observational learning is just one type of learning, and it plays a significant role in children's development, as they often learn by observing and imitating their parents, siblings, or other influential individuals in their lives.