What determines whether observers recognize targeted behaviors in modeling displays?

Observational learning is based on a critical assumption that trainees can and do recognize critical modeled behaviors. This assumption has been virtually untested in applied settings. We studied the effects of work experience and instructions on the ability of 59 observers to recognize target behaviors in an observational learning paradigm similar to existing ones. Additionally, we investigated the effects of two key factors that were hypothesized to affect the recognition process in observational learning. The results indicated that only observers who had a minimum of work experience (i.e., intermediate and experienced observers in the study) were able to consistently recognize targeted behaviors. Additionally, recognition was influenced by the level of detail of instructions given to the participants. Finally, characteristics of the modeled behaviors greatly affected recognition: Overall, examples of negative behaviors were better recognized than were positive examples. Behaviors whose consequence was shown were also better recognized than those that were neither reinforced nor punished in the video. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the design of observational learning as a training strategy in complex and applied social learning situations. The applications of this work include the design of training, and the training of evaluators and observers.