Research Article
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Lifelong Learning and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory: Rose Tremain’s The Road Home

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 77 - 91, 30.12.2025

Abstract

Lifelong learning, understood as an ongoing, intentional, and self-initiated engagement with knowledge or skill acquisition, serves as a cornerstone for personal and professional development throughout an individual’s life. This study evaluates lifelong learning through Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, which emphasizes learning via observation, modelling, and imitation. By combining these perspectives, the paper investigates skill acquisition across non-formal context. The analysis centres on the novel The Road Home by Rose Tremain, focusing on Lev, a Bulgarian immigrant in his forties who relocates to London. Facing numerous hardships, Lev secures a job as a kitchen porter in a restaurant, where he observes and emulates skilled chefs, eventually mastering culinary techniques. After one year, he returns to Bulgaria and opens his own restaurant, exemplifying the transformative effect of lifelong learning. The study demonstrates how Bandura’s theory highlights Lev’s skill development through observational learning, emphasising the roles of motivation, self-efficacy, and environmental factors. This synthesis presents the theoretical and practical connections between lifelong learning and social learning, providing insights into how individuals adapt and succeed in new environments through sustained knowledge acquisition.

Ethical Statement

No Need

Supporting Institution

None/Yoktur

References

  • Akcaalan, M. (2016). Investigation of the Relationships between Lifelong Learning and Social Emotional Learning. International Journal of Educational Research Review, 1(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.24331/ijere.309957
  • Akers, R. L., & Jennings, W. G. (2015). Social Learning Theory. In A. R. Piquero (Ed.), The handbook of criminological theory (pp. 224–240). Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Bajcar, E. A., & Bąbel, P. (2018). How does Observational Learning Produce Placebo Effects? A Model integrating Research Findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2041.
  • Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of Aggression through Imitation of Aggressive Models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), 575–582.
  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall.
  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice Hall.
  • Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman.
  • Bidzilya, Y., Rusynko-Bombyk, L., Solomin, Y., Hetsko, H., & Barchan, O. (2022). Implementation of the of Lifelong Learning Principles as a Background for Quality Specialized Education of Journalists. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 11(1), 142-153. https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v11n1p142
  • Billett, S. (2008). Learning Throughout Working Life: A Relational Interdependence between Personal and Social Agency. British Journal of Educational Studies, 56(1), 39-58.
  • Browning, C. R., Tarrence, J., Calder, C. A., Pinchak, N. P., & Boettner, B. (2022). Geographic Isolation, Compelled Mobility, and Everyday Exposure to Neighborhood Racial Composition among Urban Youth. American Journal of Sociology, 128(3), 914-961.
  • Burns, R. (2020). Adult Learner at Work: The Challenges of Lifelong Education in the new Millenium. Routledge.
  • Carlson, E. R. (2016). Lifelong Learning and Professional Development. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 74(5), 875-876.
  • Cloonan, M., & Crossan, B. (2002). Lifelong Learning: Exploring the Issues in an Area of Social Deprivation in Scotland. Scottish Educational Review, 34(1), 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1163/27730840-03401008
  • Eysenck, M. W. (2017). A2 Level Psychology. Taylor & Francis.
  • Field, J. (2006). Lifelong Learning and the New Educational Order. Trentham Books.
  • Fryling, M. J., Johnston, C., & Hayes, L. J. (2011). Understanding Observational Learning: An Interbehavioral Approach. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 27(1), 191-203.
  • Galanaki, E., & Malafantis, K. D. (2022). Albert Bandura’s Experiments on Aggression Modeling in Children: A Psychoanalytic Critique. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-4.
  • Graham, P., & Arshad-Ayaz, A. (2016). Learned Unsustainability: Bandura’s Bobo Doll Revisited. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 10(2), 262-273.
  • Grusec, J. E. (1992). Social Learning Theory and Developmental Psychology: The Legacies of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura. Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 776–786. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.28.5.776
  • Kucuksuleymanoglu, R. (2025). Resilience in Lifelong Learning for Individuals. In H. Özen & G. Polat (Eds.), Resilience, Adaptability, and Cultural Awareness within the Educational Landscape (pp. 69–96). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
  • Lev, E. L. (1997). Bandura’s Theory of Self-efficacy: Applications to Oncology. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice, 11(1), 21-37.
  • Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Seevaratnam, V., Gannaway, D., & Lodge, J. (2023). Design Thinking-learning and Lifelong Learning for Employability in the 21st Century. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 14(1), 182-201.
  • Schunk, D. H. (1995). Self-efficacy, Motivation, and Performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 7(2), 112-137.
  • Schunk, D. H. (2020). Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective (8th ed.). Pearson.
  • Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2021). Self-efficacy and Human Motivation. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in Motivation science (pp. 153–179). Elsevier.
  • Tremain, R. (2007). The Road Home. Back Bay Books.
  • Tryhub, O. (2023). The Concept of Lifelong Learning: The European Dimension. Collection of Scientific Papers «ΛΌГOΣ», (December 22, 2023; Boston, USA), 294-299. https://doi.org/10.36074/logos-22.12.2023.080
  • Vidmar, T. (2014). New Dimensions of Understanding of Lifelong Learning from Antiquity to Comenius. Review of European Studies, 6(3), 91-101. https://doi.org/10.5539/res.v6n3p91
  • Zajda, J. (2023). Politico-economic Transformation, Globalization, and Lifelong Learning: The Example of the Russian Federation. In K. Evans, W. O. Lee, J. Markowitsch, & M. Zukas (Eds.), Third International Handbook of Lifelong Learning (pp. 183–206). Springer International Handbooks of Education.

Hayat Boyu Öğrenme ve Bandura’nın Sosyal Öğrenme Kuramı: Rose Tremain’in The Road Home Romanı

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 77 - 91, 30.12.2025

Abstract

Hayat boyu öğrenme, bilginin veya becerinin sürekli, gönüllü ve öz güdümlü bir biçimde edinilmesi olarak tanımlanmakta ve bireylerin yaşamları boyunca kişisel ve mesleki gelişimlerinde temel bir rol üstlenmektedir. Bu çalışma, hayat boyu öğrenme kavramını, öğrenmenin gözlem, model alma ve taklit yoluyla gerçekleştiğini ileri süren Albert Bandura’nın sosyal öğrenme kuramı çerçevesinden incelemektedir. Söz konusu iki yaklaşımı bir araya getiren bu makale, bireylerin yapılandırılmamış ve deneyim temelli ortamlarda beceri kazanma süreçlerini ele almaktadır. Çözümleme, Rose Tremain’in The Road Home (Memlekete Dönüş Yolu) adlı romanındaki başkahraman Lev üzerinden yürütülmektedir. Kırklı yaşlarında Bulgaristan’dan Londra’ya göç eden Lev, karşılaştığı çeşitli zorluklara rağmen bir restoranda mutfak görevlisi olarak işe başlar ve burada deneyimli şefleri gözlemleyerek, onların davranışlarını model alıp taklit ederek mutfak becerilerini geliştirmeye başlar. Bir yılın sonunda ülkesine dönerek kendi restoranını açan Lev, hayat boyu öğrenmenin dönüştürücü gücünü somut bir biçimde ortaya koyar. Bu çalışma, Bandura’nın kuramının, Lev’in gözlemsel öğrenme yoluyla gelişen beceri edinimini nasıl açıkladığını ortaya koymakta; ayrıca motivasyon, öz-yeterlik ve çevresel etkenlerin bu süreçteki belirleyici rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Böylece, hayat boyu öğrenme ile sosyal öğrenme kuramı arasındaki teorik ve pratik ilişkileri açığa çıkararak, bireylerin yeni ortamlarda sürekli bilgi edinimi yoluyla nasıl uyum sağladıklarına ve başarıya ulaştıklarına dair önemli çıkarımlar sunmaktadır.

Ethical Statement

Gerekli değil

Supporting Institution

Yoktur

References

  • Akcaalan, M. (2016). Investigation of the Relationships between Lifelong Learning and Social Emotional Learning. International Journal of Educational Research Review, 1(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.24331/ijere.309957
  • Akers, R. L., & Jennings, W. G. (2015). Social Learning Theory. In A. R. Piquero (Ed.), The handbook of criminological theory (pp. 224–240). Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Bajcar, E. A., & Bąbel, P. (2018). How does Observational Learning Produce Placebo Effects? A Model integrating Research Findings. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2041.
  • Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of Aggression through Imitation of Aggressive Models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), 575–582.
  • Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall.
  • Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Prentice Hall.
  • Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W.H. Freeman.
  • Bidzilya, Y., Rusynko-Bombyk, L., Solomin, Y., Hetsko, H., & Barchan, O. (2022). Implementation of the of Lifelong Learning Principles as a Background for Quality Specialized Education of Journalists. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 11(1), 142-153. https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v11n1p142
  • Billett, S. (2008). Learning Throughout Working Life: A Relational Interdependence between Personal and Social Agency. British Journal of Educational Studies, 56(1), 39-58.
  • Browning, C. R., Tarrence, J., Calder, C. A., Pinchak, N. P., & Boettner, B. (2022). Geographic Isolation, Compelled Mobility, and Everyday Exposure to Neighborhood Racial Composition among Urban Youth. American Journal of Sociology, 128(3), 914-961.
  • Burns, R. (2020). Adult Learner at Work: The Challenges of Lifelong Education in the new Millenium. Routledge.
  • Carlson, E. R. (2016). Lifelong Learning and Professional Development. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 74(5), 875-876.
  • Cloonan, M., & Crossan, B. (2002). Lifelong Learning: Exploring the Issues in an Area of Social Deprivation in Scotland. Scottish Educational Review, 34(1), 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1163/27730840-03401008
  • Eysenck, M. W. (2017). A2 Level Psychology. Taylor & Francis.
  • Field, J. (2006). Lifelong Learning and the New Educational Order. Trentham Books.
  • Fryling, M. J., Johnston, C., & Hayes, L. J. (2011). Understanding Observational Learning: An Interbehavioral Approach. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 27(1), 191-203.
  • Galanaki, E., & Malafantis, K. D. (2022). Albert Bandura’s Experiments on Aggression Modeling in Children: A Psychoanalytic Critique. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-4.
  • Graham, P., & Arshad-Ayaz, A. (2016). Learned Unsustainability: Bandura’s Bobo Doll Revisited. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 10(2), 262-273.
  • Grusec, J. E. (1992). Social Learning Theory and Developmental Psychology: The Legacies of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura. Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 776–786. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.28.5.776
  • Kucuksuleymanoglu, R. (2025). Resilience in Lifelong Learning for Individuals. In H. Özen & G. Polat (Eds.), Resilience, Adaptability, and Cultural Awareness within the Educational Landscape (pp. 69–96). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
  • Lev, E. L. (1997). Bandura’s Theory of Self-efficacy: Applications to Oncology. Scholarly Inquiry for Nursing Practice, 11(1), 21-37.
  • Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Seevaratnam, V., Gannaway, D., & Lodge, J. (2023). Design Thinking-learning and Lifelong Learning for Employability in the 21st Century. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 14(1), 182-201.
  • Schunk, D. H. (1995). Self-efficacy, Motivation, and Performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 7(2), 112-137.
  • Schunk, D. H. (2020). Learning Theories: An Educational Perspective (8th ed.). Pearson.
  • Schunk, D. H., & DiBenedetto, M. K. (2021). Self-efficacy and Human Motivation. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Advances in Motivation science (pp. 153–179). Elsevier.
  • Tremain, R. (2007). The Road Home. Back Bay Books.
  • Tryhub, O. (2023). The Concept of Lifelong Learning: The European Dimension. Collection of Scientific Papers «ΛΌГOΣ», (December 22, 2023; Boston, USA), 294-299. https://doi.org/10.36074/logos-22.12.2023.080
  • Vidmar, T. (2014). New Dimensions of Understanding of Lifelong Learning from Antiquity to Comenius. Review of European Studies, 6(3), 91-101. https://doi.org/10.5539/res.v6n3p91
  • Zajda, J. (2023). Politico-economic Transformation, Globalization, and Lifelong Learning: The Example of the Russian Federation. In K. Evans, W. O. Lee, J. Markowitsch, & M. Zukas (Eds.), Third International Handbook of Lifelong Learning (pp. 183–206). Springer International Handbooks of Education.
There are 30 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Linguistics (Other)
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Yiğit Güney 0009-0006-3572-2507

Ajda Baştan 0000-0001-8171-8644

Submission Date November 17, 2025
Acceptance Date December 2, 2025
Publication Date December 30, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 4 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Güney, Y., & Baştan, A. (2025). Lifelong Learning and Bandura’s Social Learning Theory: Rose Tremain’s The Road Home. BABUR Research, 4(2), 77-91. https://izlik.org/JA87JB48KR