Modeling of Behavior

What is Modeling of Behavior?

Behavior modelling, an essential part of observational learning, is a process where individuals learn new behaviors by watching and imitating others. It is a fundamental concept in social learning theory, highlighting how people acquire skills, habits, and social norms from models in their environment.

The Basic Idea

Think back to when you were little. You may have seen your mom put on lipstick and tried to get into her makeup drawer to put lipstick on yourself. Or maybe you watched your teacher demonstrate how to solve a math equation and copied the procedure down in your notebook.

In these instances, you were trying to replicate a behavior by learning from a model. We often learn through observing other people, especially as children. But, learning through modeling does persist throughout our lives. For example, in a yoga class, the instructor will demonstrate the pose and flow for you to then follow. This technique is also common in organizational settings. When starting a new job, you might spend time shadowing a colleague to understand how to perform your responsibilities.

It doesn’t have to be formal. Everywhere we go, we are looking at other people for cues on how we should behave. Sometimes we subconsciously model behavior without being told to imitate it; other times, we are directed to observe a behavior closely to replicate it. 

We also alter our behavior based on the values and norms of those around us. For instance, If your parents value education and you often see them reading books or listening to podcasts, you might also adopt those values—modeling after them. Social norms impact us in this way too. For example, in Japan, it is considered rude to accept a phone call while on a train. If you find yourself visiting and notice that no one is on their phone, this would signal the local norms, prompting you to imitate the behavior. In contrast, if you live in Canada or the US, where speaking on the phone on transportation is common, you are likely to model that behavior as well.

Traditionally, there are four steps involved in the modeling of behavior1:

  1. Attention. To learn a new behavior, you have to be paying attention to the model performing it. Without focused attention, learning will not occur effectively.
  2. Retention. After you’ve noticed a behavior, to replicate it, you have to remember the observed behavior. This involves encoding the behavior in memory so it can be recalled later.
  3. Reproduction. You must have the physical and mental ability to perform the observed behavior. (Just because you see someone at the gym deadlift 300 pounds does not mean you have the strength or skill to reproduce that behavior—at least not without training!)
  4. Motivation. You have to have a reason to replicate the behavior. Motivation can come from external rewards, intrinsic satisfaction, or the expectation of positive outcomes. For example, if you notice that your friend scores really high on their math exams, you might be motivated to organize your notes in the same way they do.

Modeling a behavior is stronger than telling someone to act differently.


— James Clear, behavioral scientist and author of the New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits2

About the Author

Emilie Rose Jones

Emilie Rose Jones

Emilie currently works in Marketing & Communications for a non-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario. She completed her Masters of English Literature at UBC in 2021, where she focused on Indigenous and Canadian Literature. Emilie has a passion for writing and behavioural psychology and is always looking for opportunities to make knowledge more accessible. 

About us

We are the leading applied research & innovation consultancy

Our insights are leveraged by the most ambitious organizations

Image

I was blown away with their application and translation of behavioral science into practice. They took a very complex ecosystem and created a series of interventions using an innovative mix of the latest research and creative client co-creation. I was so impressed at the final product they created, which was hugely comprehensive despite the large scope of the client being of the world's most far-reaching and best known consumer brands. I'm excited to see what we can create together in the future.

Heather McKee

BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST

GLOBAL COFFEEHOUSE CHAIN PROJECT

OUR CLIENT SUCCESS

$0M

Annual Revenue Increase

By launching a behavioral science practice at the core of the organization, we helped one of the largest insurers in North America realize $30M increase in annual revenue.

0%

Increase in Monthly Users

By redesigning North America's first national digital platform for mental health, we achieved a 52% lift in monthly users and an 83% improvement on clinical assessment.

0%

Reduction In Design Time

By designing a new process and getting buy-in from the C-Suite team, we helped one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world reduce software design time by 75%.

0%

Reduction in Client Drop-Off

By implementing targeted nudges based on proactive interventions, we reduced drop-off rates for 450,000 clients belonging to USA's oldest debt consolidation organizations by 46%

Read Next

Notes illustration

Eager to learn about how behavioral science can help your organization?