What is Social Learning?

Our kids are growing up in a media-saturated world with seemingly limitless content options.  There are countless streaming services, channels, shows, and apps out there. As parents, caregivers, and educators, it is our responsibility to be selective about the media content that our children are exposed to. In this post, we will explain why it’s important to choose appropriate, high-quality children’s media content based on decades of well-established research.

Kids see, kids do. This probably isn’t news to you! Children are like sponges, absorbing information from their environment quickly and easily. They learn from you, your family, their friends, and media too. There is a common misconception that children zone out while using media, or that what they see on the screen doesn’t matter, but this is far from true. Kids do learn from screens, and what they see does matter! There’s a strong body of research to back this up.

In the 1960’s, psychologist Dr. Albert Bandura began developing a framework called Social Learning Theory which states that people, especially children, learn by observing, imitating, and modeling others – on or off screen. Dr. Bandura conducted a series of imitation experiments with young children and a toy inflatable doll called Bobo, often called the Bobo Doll Studies.

In one of these studies, children were divided into groups and exposed to different types of aggressive content. Children watched either:

• An in-person demonstration of adult behaving aggressively toward Bobo
• A video of an adult behaving aggressively toward Bobo
• A video of a cartoon character behaving aggressively toward Bobo
• Nothing (children who saw nothing were included as a comparison group)

After watching the modeled behavior, each child was placed in a room with toys, including a Bobo doll. The researchers observed the children playing in the room, and the results were striking – children who had witnessed aggression behaved more aggressively. It didn’t matter whether the children had seen aggression in person or on a screen. The children who saw some form of aggression modeled all hit, punched, kicked, and yelled at Bobo when given the opportunity to play with the doll.

The Importance of Being Selective About Media Content

A wave of research followed the Bobo Doll studies and found similar effects of aggressive media content on children. Children copy what they see. Even if there is a tiny amount of negative messaging, scary content, or violent behaviors tucked into a children’s show, it will likely be noticeable to your child. Research tells us that children are extremely susceptible to learning violent behavior that they witness in media content, and that the negative effects can last well into adulthood. This research about inappropriate content in children’s media has clear findings and implications: what kids watch matters. 

The good news is that research shows children also copy positive behaviors and messaging that they see through the media. For example, studies have found that children can gain positive social skills through high-quality prosocial lessons on educational television shows. Additionally, well-designed educational programs can stimulate curiosity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking. By being selective in the media our children see, we can ensure that our children are exposed to content that encourages empathy, kindness, and ethical behavior. 

Social Learning Theory reminds us that children learn from their environment, including media, so our choices make a difference. By carefully curating the media content children consume, we can ensure that they are exposed to age-appropriate content with valuable lessons, positive values, and healthy behaviors. Research shows that what our children are exposed to while they’re young shapes who they become. That’s why one of our main goals is to help you choose better.

Want more research-based info on choosing and using high-quality media content? Check out The Science of Screen Time!