We are what we watch

NEW DELHI: Consistent exposure to TV series with strong characters has the power to influence mental models in society and shift social norms.

Does what you view impact your behavior? Albert Bandura, an influential pioneer in social cognitive theory, showed that it did. Back in the late 1970s, his studies showed that children who viewed violent images on television also demonstrated more aggressive behavior than those who viewed neutral content. The work of other noted scholars, such as Christina Bicchieri, has shown that individuals learn from watching others and that these observations become behaviors and social norms that are deeply embedded in the collective community mindset.