Observational learning is a type of learning that occurs when an individual observes the behavior of another and then models their own behavior after it. It is one of the most common forms of social learning, and it has been studied extensively in psychology since its discovery by Albert Bandura in the 1950s. In observational learning, people learn from observing others' behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes; they then use this information to shape their own actions or beliefs. This form of learning can be beneficial as well as detrimental, depending on what someone chooses to observe and imitate.
Observational learning plays an important role in a child's development because children often learn new skills through imitation rather than direct instruction from adults. By watching how other people act or behave in certain situations, children are able to pick up on things such as language acquisition or moral values without needing explicit instructions about them. For example, a young child may watch his mother prepare dinner every night and eventually begin helping her out with small tasks like setting the table even though no one ever taught him how to do so explicitly—he simply observed her actions over time until he was able to mimic them successfully himself.
In addition to being used for educational purposes during childhood development, observational learning also has implications for adult learners who may need guidance when facing unfamiliar situations or tasks outside their current knowledge base. Because humans have evolved with an ability to copy each other's behaviors efficiently (through both verbal communication and nonverbal cues), adults can gain valuable insight into any given task just by seeing someone else perform it first—this could range anywhere from using technology more effectively at work all the way up to complex problem-solving strategies employed by experts in various fields like medicine or engineering.