Social Cognitive Theory

     When discussing this theory, Bandura (who came up with it), emphasized on the social learning process and the cognitive behaviors that impact the learning process (Miller, 2007).  The main concept associated with the theory is observation.  Watching how people do things is a learning process and can cause an effect.  When children see adults using a fork or what they do to turn on the tv-they remember at some point.  The modeling process may also be associated with Social Cognitive Theory; you may see how someone unwraps a present, and after observing, one may actually be able to perform this task.

    When observation is not enough for learning, reinforcement occurs through the inhibitory and disinhibitory effect.  Inhibitory effect occurs when an individual sees another person get punished for a certain action.  For example, if you see someone burn their hand by touching the stove, you know the consequences without touching the stove yourself.
     Disinhibitory effect occurs when an individual observes someone get rewarded for certain actions.  The example for this is, when a student answers a question correctly in class and the teachers gives them a piece of candy.  This may encourage you to do the same thing.
     Social Cognitive Theory may be applied to a plethora of fields where things are learned through observation (Miller, 2007).  One example may be weight loss and infomercials.  We see how to do the exercise through the observing process.  Through the inhibitory effect, we see what happens when someone loses too much weight and becomes unhealthy.  Through the disinhibitory effect, we see someone losing a good amount of weight and toning their body.
     Another study could be the media and dating.  Many children and adolescences see and define dating expectations and perceptions from what they observe from tv.  From soap operas to MTV, the way young people look at dating is influenced.
For more information: 
Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D., Hackett, G. (1994).  Toward a unifying Social Cognitive Theory of career and academic interest, choice and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45 (1), 79-122.
Miller, K. (2007). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts. McGraw-Hill publishing.