Social Learning Theory is also known by what alternative name?

• A. Social Cognitive Theory
• B. Social Learning Theory
• C. Behaviorism
• D. Psychoanalytic Theory

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how this learning theory is labeled to reflect its emphasis. Social Learning Theory focuses on learning that happens by watching and imitating others, but as researchers added that mental processes—attention, memory, expectations, and self-regulation—shape how we learn, the approach was often called Social Cognitive Theory. This name highlights the cognitive components involved in social learning, such as how we think about observed events and regulate our own behavior. So, the alternative name best captures the expanded view that learning in social contexts is driven by cognitive processing, not just observable actions. Behaviorism and Psychoanalytic Theory come from different families—behaviorism centers on observable behavior with little internal mental life, while psychoanalytic theory centers on unconscious drives and early experiences—so they don’t serve as the alternate name for this theory.