Social Cognitive Theory and Media Effects

(The following is a short post by WVU Communication Studies MA student Jennifer Seifert, in reflection of our earlier class on media violence research)

In an explanation of Social Cognitive Theory, Bandura states that “symbolic modeling is central to full understanding of the effects of mass communication.” He argues that there are four major subfunctions that govern observational learning- attentional processes, retention processes, production processes, and motivational processes. Offering a simple explanation of each, the attentional process determines what is observed, the retention process determines what is remembered, the production process determines the plan of action, and the motivational process determines the cost/benefit of enacting a behavior.

It could be argued research centering on the effects of mass communication should measure outcomes or behaviors; however, this reflects a limited scope of the full effects of mass communication.  In the retention process, observers of mass communication transform the information they receive into "rules and conceptions of memory". Therefore, the effects of mass communication can precede the manifestation of behaviors.

Model of the Social Learning Process