Biography Category
Name :
Albert Bandura
Date :
Views :
674
Category :
Birth Date :
04/12/2025
Birth Place :
Mundare in Northern Alberta, Canada
Death Date :
Not Available
Not Available
Albert Bandura was born in the small town of Mundara in Northern Alberta, Canada on December 4, 1925. He was the only son in a family of five daughters.[br /]
[br /]
[b]EARLY LIFE[/b][br /]
[br /]
His elementary and high school years were spent in a town, with minimal resources. The school being woefully short of teachers and resources left learning largely to the students’ own initiative. In fact, two teachers handled the entire high school curriculum. Yet, his performance in school was remarkable. Recalling his high school days wrote, "Very often we developed a better grasp of the subjects than the over worked teachers." Bandura again stated, "The content of most textbooks is perishable…but the tools of self-directedness serve one well over time."[br /]
[br /]
After completing high school, he worked in the far North, at Whitehorse in Yukon, filling holes to protect the Alaskan Highway against its continual sinking into the fragile muskeg. There he found himself in the company of a curious lot, most of whom had fled creditors, alimony, the draft board, or probation officers.[br /]
[br /]
[b]LIFE’S TURNING POINT[/b][br /]
[br /]
The turning point in Bandura’s life was his choice of psychology as a career that came about by chance. In search of a benign and intellectually spirited climate, Bandura went westward to the University of British Columbia. Here, Bandura commuted each morning to the University in a carpool of engineering and pre-med students who started each day very early. He thought that a course in psychology in the early time slot would fill his schedule in, so he preferred psychology as a main subject and decided to concentrate on it. And within three years (in 1949) Bandura, receive his B.A. from the University of British Columbia. Not only did he receive the graduate degree but he also won with the Bolocan Award in Psychology.[br /]
[br /]
[b]HIGHER EDUCATION[/b][br /]
[br /]
Then, Bandura decided to pursue graduate study at the University of Iowa. At that time, the Department of Psychology at Iowa was a lively place, providing admirable examples of dedicated researchers testing competing theories and investigating fundamental problems. It was there that he came under the influence of the behaviorist tradition and learning theory. Here, fundamental problems in learning were being investigated and competing theories were being put to stringent tests.[br /]
[br /]
In 1951 Bandura received his M. A. degree in Psychology and in 1952 he received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa. He received his Ph.D. under the guidance and direction of Professor Arthur Benton.[br /]
[br /]
[b]TEACHING CAREER[/b][br /]
[br /]
After completing his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology he joined the faculty at Stanford University in 1953, as an instructor in Psychology. In 1964, he became a full time Professor of Psychology. In 1974, he served as Chairman of the Department of Psychology and was honored by being awarded an endowed chair. In 1972 he was the Guggenheim Fellowship Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]MARRIAGE WITH GOLF PARTNER[/b][br /]
[br /]
While still a post graduate student at the University of Iowa, Bandura was fond of playing golf. Once while playing with a friend, they found themselves behind two attractive women golfers. He befriended them and soon a close relationship developed with one of them Ms. Virginia Varns. She became his partner at golf. After a few months, Albert and Virginia, then a teacher at the College of Nursing, got married. After marriage Bandura went on to do a postdoctoral internship at the Wichita Guidance Center and his wife was the supervisor of the Obstetrics Hospital during the time. Soon they became parents of two daughters named Carol and Mary.[br /]
[br /]
[b]SECOND TURNING POINT OF LIFE[/b][br /]
[br /]
The second turning point in his life came when he joined Stanford University as an instructor of psychology in 1953. Here he found, much to his liking distinguished colleagues, gifted students and desirable freedom to go wherever one’s curiosity might lead. At the time, a renowned psychologist Robert Sears was chairperson of the department. Sears was exploring the familiar antecedents of social behavior and identification learning. He was very impressed by Sears’ work, and began field studies in social learning and aggression in collaboration with one of his students, Richard Walters. The research project was titled Role of Modeling in Human Behavior. By this research Bandura led to a programmed laboratory research, and it was his determination and mechanisms of observation learning.[br /]
[br /]
Bandura found Stanford University to be a remarkable place for collaborative research. Bandura wrote, "I have been able to work with such leading researchers as Jack Barchas and Barr Taylor in psychiatry, Robert De Busk in cardiology, and Halsted Holman in internal medicine. We develop projects in which we can combine the experience of several laboratories." Bandura had taken many research projects one after another. In one of his projects he studied how people’s perceptions of their ability to control what they perceive as threats to themselves affect the release of neurotransmitters and stress related hormones into the blood stream.[br /]
[br /]
[b]AREA OF RESEARCH[/b][br /]
[br /]
During 1965 to 1970 Bandura embarked on another major research program examining the influential role of self-referent thought in psychological functioning.[br /]
[br /]
In late 1970s and early 1980s, he devoted his time and attention on self-referent thought mediates action and affective arousal.[br /]
[br /]
In the mid 1980s he developed a social cognitive theory of human functioning. This theory provides the conceptual framework and analyzes the large body of knowledge bearing on this theory.[br /]
[br /]
Bandura in his life long career has served psychology in various capacities. His contribution to psychology has been recognized in the many honors and awards that he has received. He has often been found on the Washington commute to various advisory boards, research panels, federal agencies, as well as committees and commissions of the American Psychological Association. He has served on the editorial boards of some 20 Journals. He is currently David Starr Jordan Professor of Social Sciences in psychology at Stanford University. He says, "To place petty concerns in their cosmic perspective, nothing beats a few days of communing with the muses on top of a mountain."[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]EARLY LIFE[/b][br /]
[br /]
His elementary and high school years were spent in a town, with minimal resources. The school being woefully short of teachers and resources left learning largely to the students’ own initiative. In fact, two teachers handled the entire high school curriculum. Yet, his performance in school was remarkable. Recalling his high school days wrote, "Very often we developed a better grasp of the subjects than the over worked teachers." Bandura again stated, "The content of most textbooks is perishable…but the tools of self-directedness serve one well over time."[br /]
[br /]
After completing high school, he worked in the far North, at Whitehorse in Yukon, filling holes to protect the Alaskan Highway against its continual sinking into the fragile muskeg. There he found himself in the company of a curious lot, most of whom had fled creditors, alimony, the draft board, or probation officers.[br /]
[br /]
[b]LIFE’S TURNING POINT[/b][br /]
[br /]
The turning point in Bandura’s life was his choice of psychology as a career that came about by chance. In search of a benign and intellectually spirited climate, Bandura went westward to the University of British Columbia. Here, Bandura commuted each morning to the University in a carpool of engineering and pre-med students who started each day very early. He thought that a course in psychology in the early time slot would fill his schedule in, so he preferred psychology as a main subject and decided to concentrate on it. And within three years (in 1949) Bandura, receive his B.A. from the University of British Columbia. Not only did he receive the graduate degree but he also won with the Bolocan Award in Psychology.[br /]
[br /]
[b]HIGHER EDUCATION[/b][br /]
[br /]
Then, Bandura decided to pursue graduate study at the University of Iowa. At that time, the Department of Psychology at Iowa was a lively place, providing admirable examples of dedicated researchers testing competing theories and investigating fundamental problems. It was there that he came under the influence of the behaviorist tradition and learning theory. Here, fundamental problems in learning were being investigated and competing theories were being put to stringent tests.[br /]
[br /]
In 1951 Bandura received his M. A. degree in Psychology and in 1952 he received his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa. He received his Ph.D. under the guidance and direction of Professor Arthur Benton.[br /]
[br /]
[b]TEACHING CAREER[/b][br /]
[br /]
After completing his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology he joined the faculty at Stanford University in 1953, as an instructor in Psychology. In 1964, he became a full time Professor of Psychology. In 1974, he served as Chairman of the Department of Psychology and was honored by being awarded an endowed chair. In 1972 he was the Guggenheim Fellowship Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]MARRIAGE WITH GOLF PARTNER[/b][br /]
[br /]
While still a post graduate student at the University of Iowa, Bandura was fond of playing golf. Once while playing with a friend, they found themselves behind two attractive women golfers. He befriended them and soon a close relationship developed with one of them Ms. Virginia Varns. She became his partner at golf. After a few months, Albert and Virginia, then a teacher at the College of Nursing, got married. After marriage Bandura went on to do a postdoctoral internship at the Wichita Guidance Center and his wife was the supervisor of the Obstetrics Hospital during the time. Soon they became parents of two daughters named Carol and Mary.[br /]
[br /]
[b]SECOND TURNING POINT OF LIFE[/b][br /]
[br /]
The second turning point in his life came when he joined Stanford University as an instructor of psychology in 1953. Here he found, much to his liking distinguished colleagues, gifted students and desirable freedom to go wherever one’s curiosity might lead. At the time, a renowned psychologist Robert Sears was chairperson of the department. Sears was exploring the familiar antecedents of social behavior and identification learning. He was very impressed by Sears’ work, and began field studies in social learning and aggression in collaboration with one of his students, Richard Walters. The research project was titled Role of Modeling in Human Behavior. By this research Bandura led to a programmed laboratory research, and it was his determination and mechanisms of observation learning.[br /]
[br /]
Bandura found Stanford University to be a remarkable place for collaborative research. Bandura wrote, "I have been able to work with such leading researchers as Jack Barchas and Barr Taylor in psychiatry, Robert De Busk in cardiology, and Halsted Holman in internal medicine. We develop projects in which we can combine the experience of several laboratories." Bandura had taken many research projects one after another. In one of his projects he studied how people’s perceptions of their ability to control what they perceive as threats to themselves affect the release of neurotransmitters and stress related hormones into the blood stream.[br /]
[br /]
[b]AREA OF RESEARCH[/b][br /]
[br /]
During 1965 to 1970 Bandura embarked on another major research program examining the influential role of self-referent thought in psychological functioning.[br /]
[br /]
In late 1970s and early 1980s, he devoted his time and attention on self-referent thought mediates action and affective arousal.[br /]
[br /]
In the mid 1980s he developed a social cognitive theory of human functioning. This theory provides the conceptual framework and analyzes the large body of knowledge bearing on this theory.[br /]
[br /]
Bandura in his life long career has served psychology in various capacities. His contribution to psychology has been recognized in the many honors and awards that he has received. He has often been found on the Washington commute to various advisory boards, research panels, federal agencies, as well as committees and commissions of the American Psychological Association. He has served on the editorial boards of some 20 Journals. He is currently David Starr Jordan Professor of Social Sciences in psychology at Stanford University. He says, "To place petty concerns in their cosmic perspective, nothing beats a few days of communing with the muses on top of a mountain."[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
A Canadian by birth, he is a pioneer in the field of psychology, whose seminal, theoretical and research contributions have influenced many fields, including cognitive social learning, aggression, moral development, personality development and self-efficiency.[br /]
[br /]
Bandura is well known for his work on Aggressive Behavior and on Role Modeling or Imitation in Learning. Bandura has authored over 175 articles and seven books on a wide range of issues in psychology.[br /]
[br /]
In 1974 he was named David Starr Jordan Professor of Social Science in Psychology. He is the recipient of the William James Award of the American Psychological Society for outstanding achievement in psychological science. He has also been awarded the distinguished contributions Award by the International Society for Research in Aggression and a Guggenheim Fellowship.[br /]
[br /]
The Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Indiana University in 1993, tops the list of honor he has received so far.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Bandura is well known for his work on Aggressive Behavior and on Role Modeling or Imitation in Learning. Bandura has authored over 175 articles and seven books on a wide range of issues in psychology.[br /]
[br /]
In 1974 he was named David Starr Jordan Professor of Social Science in Psychology. He is the recipient of the William James Award of the American Psychological Society for outstanding achievement in psychological science. He has also been awarded the distinguished contributions Award by the International Society for Research in Aggression and a Guggenheim Fellowship.[br /]
[br /]
The Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Indiana University in 1993, tops the list of honor he has received so far.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]December 4, 1925[/b][br /]
Albert Bandura was born in Mundare in Northern Alberta, Canada.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949 [/b][br /]
Graduated from the University of British Columbia.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1951 [/b][br /]
M. A. from the University of Iowa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1952[/b][br /]
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953 [/b][br /]
Accepts teaching position at Stanford University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1963[/b][br /]
He conducted the Bobo Doll experiment.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1963[/b][br /]
Social Learning and Personality Development published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1964[/b][br /]
He became a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1969[/b][br /]
Principles of Behavior Modification was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1971[/b][br /]
Publication of Aggression : A Social Learning Analysis.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1972[/b][br /]
Won the Guggenheim Fellowship Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1974[/b][br /]
Elected President of the American Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1974[/b][br /]
He was named David Staff Jordan Professor of Social Science in Psychology.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1975[/b][br /]
Appointed Visiting Professor at the University of British Columbia.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1977[/b][br /]
He developed the Cognitive Theory.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1977[/b][br /]
Social Learning Theory published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1978[/b][br /]
Psychological Modeling : Theory and Practice was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1980[/b][br /]
He won the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1981[/b][br /]
Elected President of Western Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1986[/b][br /]
Social foundations of thought and action : A Social Cognitive Theory was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1995[/b][br /]
Self-Efficiency in Changing Societies was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1993 (May)[/b][br /]
He received honorary doctorate of humane letters from Indiana University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1999[/b][br /]
He was conferred the Thorndike Award for distinguished contributions to Education from the American Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Albert Bandura was born in Mundare in Northern Alberta, Canada.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949 [/b][br /]
Graduated from the University of British Columbia.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1951 [/b][br /]
M. A. from the University of Iowa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1952[/b][br /]
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953 [/b][br /]
Accepts teaching position at Stanford University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1963[/b][br /]
He conducted the Bobo Doll experiment.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1963[/b][br /]
Social Learning and Personality Development published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1964[/b][br /]
He became a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1969[/b][br /]
Principles of Behavior Modification was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1971[/b][br /]
Publication of Aggression : A Social Learning Analysis.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1972[/b][br /]
Won the Guggenheim Fellowship Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1974[/b][br /]
Elected President of the American Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1974[/b][br /]
He was named David Staff Jordan Professor of Social Science in Psychology.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1975[/b][br /]
Appointed Visiting Professor at the University of British Columbia.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1977[/b][br /]
He developed the Cognitive Theory.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1977[/b][br /]
Social Learning Theory published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1978[/b][br /]
Psychological Modeling : Theory and Practice was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1980[/b][br /]
He won the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1981[/b][br /]
Elected President of Western Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1986[/b][br /]
Social foundations of thought and action : A Social Cognitive Theory was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1995[/b][br /]
Self-Efficiency in Changing Societies was published.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1993 (May)[/b][br /]
He received honorary doctorate of humane letters from Indiana University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1999[/b][br /]
He was conferred the Thorndike Award for distinguished contributions to Education from the American Psychological Association.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON LEARNING[/b][br /]
[br /]
• "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling : from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Because people can learn from example what to do, at least in approximate form, before performing any behavior, they are spared needless errors."[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON EDUCATION[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Very often we developed a better grasp of the subjects than the over worked teachers.[br /]
[br /]
• The content of most textbooks is perishable, but the tools of self-directedness serve one well over time.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON EFFICACY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• We find that people’s beliefs about their efficacy affect the sorts of choices they make in very significant ways. In particular, it affects their levels of motivation and perseverance in the face of obstacles. Most success requires persistent effort, so low self-efficacy becomes a self-limiting process.[br /]
[br /]
• In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-efficacy, struggle together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON MORALITY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Moral justification is a powerful disengagement mechanism. Destructive conduct is made personally and socially acceptable by portraying it in the service of moral ends.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON BEHAVIOR[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Behavior, cognitive, and other personal factors, and environmental influences all operate interactively as determinants of each other.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON PERSONALITY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Coping with the demands of everyday life would be exceedingly trying if one could arrive at solutions to problems only by actually performing possible options and suffering the consequences.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON SELF-EFFICACY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• People’s judgments of their capabilities to organize and execute courses of action required to attain designated types of performances.[br /]
[br /]
• Self-efficacy beliefs differ from outcome expectations, judgments of the likely consequence [that] behavior will produce.[br /]
[br /]
• Measures of self-precept must be tailored to the domain of psychological functioning being explored.[br /]
[br /]
• Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing.[br /]
[br /]
• Even the self-assured will raise their perceived self-efficacy if models teach them better ways of doing things.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
• "Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling : from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide for action. Because people can learn from example what to do, at least in approximate form, before performing any behavior, they are spared needless errors."[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON EDUCATION[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Very often we developed a better grasp of the subjects than the over worked teachers.[br /]
[br /]
• The content of most textbooks is perishable, but the tools of self-directedness serve one well over time.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON EFFICACY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• We find that people’s beliefs about their efficacy affect the sorts of choices they make in very significant ways. In particular, it affects their levels of motivation and perseverance in the face of obstacles. Most success requires persistent effort, so low self-efficacy becomes a self-limiting process.[br /]
[br /]
• In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-efficacy, struggle together with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON MORALITY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Moral justification is a powerful disengagement mechanism. Destructive conduct is made personally and socially acceptable by portraying it in the service of moral ends.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON BEHAVIOR[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Behavior, cognitive, and other personal factors, and environmental influences all operate interactively as determinants of each other.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON PERSONALITY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Coping with the demands of everyday life would be exceedingly trying if one could arrive at solutions to problems only by actually performing possible options and suffering the consequences.[br /]
[br /]
[b]ON SELF-EFFICACY[/b][br /]
[br /]
• People’s judgments of their capabilities to organize and execute courses of action required to attain designated types of performances.[br /]
[br /]
• Self-efficacy beliefs differ from outcome expectations, judgments of the likely consequence [that] behavior will produce.[br /]
[br /]
• Measures of self-precept must be tailored to the domain of psychological functioning being explored.[br /]
[br /]
• Accomplishment is socially judged by ill defined criteria so that one has to rely on others to find out how one is doing.[br /]
[br /]
• Even the self-assured will raise their perceived self-efficacy if models teach them better ways of doing things.[br /]
[br /]
