What concept is primarily associated with Albert Bandura's social learning theory?

Albert Bandura's social learning theory is primarily associated with the concept of observational learning. This theory emphasizes that individuals can learn new behaviors and acquire new information simply by observing others, without direct experience or reinforcement. Observational learning suggests that people imitate the actions of role models or significant others around them, which plays a crucial role in the learning process.

Bandura's research highlighted that learning doesn't solely occur through direct rewards or punishments, but also through the observation of others’ behaviors and the perceived outcomes of those behaviors. This idea reshaped the understanding of how social interactions and environments contribute to learning, expanding beyond the limitations of more traditional behavioral theories that focused primarily on direct reinforcement. Thus, observational learning is at the heart of Bandura's contributions to educational theory and psychology.