Which statement is true about observational learning?

Which statement is true about observational learning?

• A. It requires direct experience to learn a new behavior.
• B. It cannot occur in non-social species.
• C. It is the same as trial-and-error learning.
• D. It allows acquiring new behaviors by watching others.

Answer: (D)

Observational learning is about acquiring a new behavior by watching others perform it and observe the outcomes, so you can pick up the behavior without having to try it yourself. This is why the statement that you can learn new behaviors by watching others is the true one. It’s different from direct experience, which would require actually performing the behavior yourself, and it’s not the same as trial-and-error learning, where the learner experiments and learns from the consequences of those own actions. The idea that it cannot occur in non-social species is an overreach—observing others requires a model to watch, which is inherently social; without that, this form of learning wouldn’t apply as described.

Observational learning is about acquiring a new behavior by watching others perform it and observe the outcomes, so you can pick up the behavior without having to try it yourself. This is why the statement that you can learn new behaviors by watching others is the true one. It’s different from direct experience, which would require actually performing the behavior yourself, and it’s not the same as trial-and-error learning, where the learner experiments and learns from the consequences of those own actions. The idea that it cannot occur in non-social species is an overreach—observing others requires a model to watch, which is inherently social; without that, this form of learning wouldn’t apply as described.