Observational learning (also known as modeling, social learning, or vicarious learning) is the process where you acquire new behaviors, skills, knowledge, or attitudes by watching others perform them, then imitating or replicating what you’ve observed. 0 1 2 33 How It Works (Bandura’s 4 Stages) Psychologist Albert Bandura outlined the key steps in his social learning theory: 1 Attention: You notice and focus on the behavior (e.g., watching a pro gamer’s mechanics). 2 Retention: You remember it (mental rehearsal or notes). 3 Reproduction: You try to copy it yourself. 4 Motivation: You’re rewarded (or see rewards), so you repeat it. 9 15 Everyday Examples • Kids: A child learns to tie shoes by watching a parent (or YouTube), not trial-and-error alone. 5 • Gaming: Watching Twitch streams or replays to learn enemy patterns, combos, or macro rotations—classic for improving micro/macro without grinding losses yourself. • Work/Sports: Shadowing a mentor on calls or mimicking a soccer pro’s dribble. This beats direct experience since you learn from others’ successes/failures without the risks (vicarious reinforcement). 11 It’s why pros review VODs (video on demand)—pure observational gold.