Which psychologist is most closely associated with the Social Learning theory?

The psychologist most closely associated with Social Learning theory is Bandura. His theory emphasizes the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling in the process of acquiring new behaviors and skills. Bandura proposed that individuals can learn not only through direct experience but also by observing others and the consequences of their actions. This concept highlights the role of social context and environmental factors in shaping behavior, making it a pivotal contribution to understanding how people learn in social environments.

His famous experiments, such as the Bobo doll experiment, demonstrated that children could learn aggressive behaviors simply by observing adults interacting with the doll, illustrating the principle that learning can occur through observation rather than just through direct reinforcement. This focus on observational learning distinguishes Bandura's theory from others that center primarily on reinforcement or intrinsic cognitive processes.