Learning that results from observing the behaviour of others. Also referred to as modeling, shaping, vicarious reinforcement and social learning. The latter term is associated with the work of Albert Bandura and in particular his famous Bobo doll experiment in which aggressive behavior was acquired by children observing it others. Shaping is perhaps not an appropriate term for observational learning as the behavior so acquired also involves the perpetrator having to consider the consequences of his or her action. However, it is clear that such learning does not require reinforcement, but rather a model (typically a person in some position of authority). Also, while it is associated with acquiring new behaviors, this is not always the case as it can involve learning behaviors that are similar to, but not identical with, the ones being modeled (e.g., watching someone play a musical instrument, but then taking up a different one).
See Emulation, Imitation, Learning, Reinforcement, Social learning theory