Punishment often has the opposite effect of that desired because it may involve a powerful reward in the form of attention. This is a particular problem in the classroom, as some children misbehave in order to receive extra attention from the teacher, rather than from the quieter students who behave appropriately in a classroom. Social learning theory is about learning by observation and imitation of others and by imagining what would happen if that behavior were imitated (Ryle 1995). Bandura formulated social Learning Theory. Unlike Watson, Skinner and any other behaviorists, social learning theorists concentrate mainly on human learning, especially the acquisition of social and moral behavior. It is not that people act and copy everyone they see or every act they witness. Bandura has laid down the specific circumstances under which imitation occurs (Ryle 1995).
Unlike the behaviorists, there is no scientific approach of the 'cause and effect' of learning, it is by learning through imitation and what motivates us would be the attraction of success, such as our media heroes or heroines, the same-sex parents and same-sex peers. The models that individuals imitate are likely to be attractive, successful, high status people, people who are similar to ourselves and with whom we are familiar. The social learning theorists take account of the cognitive aspects of learning.
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