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Abstract 3
Introduction 4
Origins of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory 5
Explantion of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory 6
Applications of Bandura's Theory Social Cognitive Theory 9
Conclusion 11
References 12

Abstract
Albert Bandura has been one of the most productive and influential psychologists of modern times. Beginning with his social learning theory in 1977 and refining it to introduce social cognitive theory in 1986, Bandura has had a major influence on modern psychology. Not stopping there, Bandura then applied his theory to everything from psychotherapy to television violence to the impact of the mass media. The range of applications of the theory is a reflection of how central it is to the human experience. Bandura focuses on how we learn, how we think and how the combination of these and the environment impacts on behavior. This has also resulted in the theory being applied to many other areas and merging into various other ideas on the human experience. To consider the theories and the impact Bandura has had, his contributions are looked at in more detail in this paper. This begins with an overview of the origins of social cognitive theory, placing the theory in its proper context. This is followed with an explanation of the theory, including the major ideas presented in it. Finally, the applications of the theory are presented to show the importance of the theory in the study of psychology and in the difficult process of trying to understand human behavior.


Introduction

Albert Bandura has been one of the most productive and one of the most influential psychologists of modern times. Beginning with his social learning theory in 1977, and refining it to introduce social cognitive theory in 1986, Bandura has had a major influence on modern psychology. Not stopping there, Bandura has then applied his theory to everything from psychotherapy to television violence to the impact of the mass media. The range of applications of the theory...