Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior.

Mediating processes occur between stimuli & responses.
Behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning.

Children pay attention to some of these people (models) and encode their behavior.  At a later time they may imitate (i.e., copy) the behavior they have observed.

A child will behave in a way which it believes will earn approval because it desires approval.

Children will have a number of models with whom they identify. These may be people in their immediate world, such as parents or older siblings, or could be fantasy characters or people in the media.

Identification occurs with another person (the model) and involves taking on (or adopting) observed behaviors, values, beliefs and attitudes of the person with whom you are identifying.

Observational learning could not occur unless cognitive processes were at work. These mental factors mediate (i.e., intervene) in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired.

There is some thought prior to imitation, and this consideration is called mediational processes.

Attention is therefore extremely important in whether a behavior influences others imitating it.

It is important therefore that a memory of the behavior is formed to be performed later by the observer.

If the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs (if there are any), then the behavior will be more likely to be imitated by the observer.

behavior is due to an interaction between nature (biology) and nurture (environment)

The discovery of mirror neurons has lent biological support to the theory of social learning. Although research is in its infancy the recent discovery of "mirror neurons" in primates may constitute a neurological basis for imitation.