science

Modeling (psychology)

Modeling (psychology) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Modeling (psychology) rather than just read about it. In short: Modeling is: a method used in certain cognitive-behavioral techniques of psychotherapy whereby the client learns by imitation alone, copying a human model without any specific verbal direction by the therapist, and a general process in which persons serve as models for others, exhibiting the behavior to be imitated by others. This process is most commonly discussed for children.

Key takeaways

Modeling (psychology) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Modeling (psychology) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Modeling (psychology) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Modeling is:

a method used in certain cognitive-behavioral techniques of psychotherapy whereby the client learns by imitation alone, copying a human model without any specific verbal direction by the therapist, and a general process in which persons serve as models for others, exhibiting the behavior to be imitated by others. This process is most commonly discussed for children.

Study by Albert Bandura Albert Bandura most memorably introduced the concept of behavioral modeling in his famous 1961 Bobo doll experiment. In this study, 72 children from ages three to five were divided into groups to watch an adult confederate (the model) interact with an assortment of toys in the experiment room, including an inflated Bobo doll. For children assigned the non-aggressive condition, the role model ignored the doll. For children assigned the aggressive condition, the role model spent the majority of the time physically aggressing the doll and shouting at it. After the role model left the room, the children were allowed to interact with similar toys individually. Children who observed the non-aggressive role model's behavior played quietly with the toys and rarely initiated violence toward the Bobo doll. Children who watched the aggressive role model were more likely to model themselves on that example by hitting, kicking, and shouting at the Bobo doll.

Factors influencing behavioral modeling

Psychological factors Bandura proposed that four components contribute to behavioral modeling.

Attention: The observer must watch and pay attention to the behavior being modeled. Retention: The observer must remember the behavior well enough to recreate it. Reproduction: The observer must physically recreate the actions they observed in step 1. Reinforcement: The observer's modeled behavior must be rewarded

Neurological factors The mirror neuron system, located in the brain's frontal lobe, is a network of neurons that become active when an animal performs a behavior or observes that behavior being performed by another. For example, mirror neurons become active when a monkey grasps an object, just as when it watches another monkey do. While the significance of mirror neurons is still up for debate in the scientific community, many believe them to be the primary biological component in imitative learning.

In neuro-linguistic programming

Modeling is an important component of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a field in which specialized modeling techniques are developed.

See also Cognitive imitation Mimicry Mirror neuron Social cognition

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Modeling (psychology)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Modeling (psychology) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Modeling (psychology) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Modeling (psychology) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Modeling (psychology)

In research: Modeling (psychology) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Modeling (psychology) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Modeling (psychology) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Behavioral concepts, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Modeling (psychology) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Modeling (psychology) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Modeling (psychology) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Modeling (psychology) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Modeling (psychology) in simple terms?

Modeling is: a method used in certain cognitive-behavioral techniques of psychotherapy whereby the client learns by imitation alone, copying a human model without any specific verbal direction by the therapist, and a general process in which persons serve as models for others, exhibiting the behavi…

Why does Modeling (psychology) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Modeling (psychology)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Modeling (psychology).