Trudy makes an obscene gesture in class, and the teacher punishes her severely. Other students in class observe both the gesture and the punishment. Based on social cognitive theory, what can we guess about what those other students have learned and how they are likely to behave in the future?
A) They don't know how to make the gesture, but they know that the teacher will punish them severely for inappropriate behavior.
B) They know how to make the gesture, but they are likely to forget it within a few days.
C) They know how to make the gesture and are likely to make it in class in the future.
D) They know how to make the gesture, but they are unlikely to make it in class.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to social cognitive theory, individuals learn through observation and imitation of others. In this scenario, the other students observed Trudy making an obscene gesture, which may have increased their knowledge of how to make the gesture. However, they also observed the severe punishment that Trudy received from the teacher, which may have served as a deterrent for them to make the same gesture in the future. Therefore, choice D is the best answer, as the other students are likely to know how to make the gesture but are unlikely to make it in class in the future because of the punishment they saw Trudy receive.

Trudy Makes an Obscene Gesture in Class, and the Teacher