Human Growth and Development

Social Interactions and Relationships Humans are social beings, and our relationships shape our values, beliefs, and ethical choices. Social Learning and Modeling Social learning is how we acquire knowledge, skills, and behaviors by observing and imitating others. From birth, people pick up social cues and learn from interactions.

Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory Bandura distinguished between learning and behavior, arguing that people learn by watching others without needing direct reinforcement. Four Components of Social Learning:

1.​ Attention: Observing a behavior. 2.​ Retention: Remembering what was observed. 3.​ Motivation: Deciding whether to imitate it. 4.​ Reproduction: Performing the learned behavior. Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment showed how children imitate aggressive behavior: ●​ Children watched adults hitting a Bobo doll. ●​ Some saw the adults rewarded, while others saw punishment. ●​ Those who saw rewards were more likely to imitate the aggression, proving that role models and reinforcement shape behavior. This study demonstrated how children learn social behaviors—both positive and negative—through observation. Interpersonal Relationships Interpersonal relationships are ongoing social interactions where people fulfill each other's needs. They promote mental well-being and contribute to personal happiness. A key feature of strong relationships is self-disclosure —the sharing of personal information, which builds trust and emotional connection.

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