What is the primary focus of the Social Learning Theory by Bandura?

The primary focus of the Social Learning Theory developed by Albert Bandura is learning through observation and imitation. This theory posits that individuals can learn new behaviors, attitudes, and skills simply by watching others, without direct experience or reinforcement. Bandura emphasized the importance of modeling—where a person observes a model performing a behavior and then imitates or emulates that behavior.

This model of learning suggests that social contexts play a critical role in the development of an individual's behavior, highlighting that learning can occur in social environments through interactions and observations of others. Factors such as attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation influence whether or not the observed behavior is imitated. The theory thus provides a comprehensive understanding of how behavior is acquired and changed not just from direct personal experience, but through social interactions and cultural influences.

In contrast, the other options emphasize different methods of learning without the critical role of observation and imitation that Bandura highlighted. For example, reading and writing, drilling and repetition, and structured testing all refer to more traditional, direct instructional methods rather than the social and observational processes central to Bandura's theory.