The application of the Social Cognitive Theory has two key components.  First, there is the importance of modelling.  Social psychologists argue that behaviour can be changed through observational learning.  According to Bandura, the key to this learning is that it must involve attention, retention, motivation and potential. Secondly, based on this final factor of "potential," it is important that the learner develop a sense of self-efficacy - that is, a feeling that they can do the behaviour.

The study below shows how Social Cognitive Theory is applied in two inner-city London schools to improve the diets of primary school children.  Before you read the study below, you may want to watch this promotional ad for the program being discussed - Food Dudes.

Lowe et al (2004) investigated the potential role of social cognitive theory in promoting healthy eating in British school children - with the specific goal of increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The sample was made up of 749 children, aged 5 - 11 years old, in two inner-city London primary schools. One school served as a control; the other school underwent the experimental intervention known as the Food Dudes Program.

At the start of the study, the level of fruit and vegetable consumption was measured in order to establish a baseline. To establish this baseline, the researchers used three key measures.  First, children in both schools were given the option of consuming fruit and vegetables at lunchtime. Their choice of foods was observed and recorded on a five-point rating scale.  In addition, the younger children (ages 5 - 7) received fruit at snack time.  The weight of the fruit consumed was recorded.  Finally, questionnaires were given to their parents, asking them to recall the eating behaviours of their children.  Consumption levels would again be measured during the intervention and four months after the completion of the program.

Over 16 days children watched video adventures featuring the Food Dudes. The Food Dudes are young superheroes who are involved in saving the world from the “Junk Punks,” who plot to take destroy the world by depriving it of fruit and vegetables - and thus, its key energy force. The Food Dudes not only continue to beat the “Junk Punks,” but they are seen eating a range of fruit and veg, explaining how wonderful they taste - and showing that they are the key to their power in defeating the bad guys.  This is an important part of social cognitive theory - giving the children models whose behaviour they may imitate.

After watching the six-minute videos, teachers read aloud a letter “from the Food Dudes” to the students. The letters explained the need to fight the Junk Punks, the benefits of eating a healthy diet and gave information about prizes for eating well. In addition, the children were given a “Food Dudes’ Home Pack” which encouraged them to eat more fruit and vegetables at home - and having their parents record what they were eating.  This is the second important part of social cognitive theory - helping the children to develop a sense of self-efficacy - explaining to them that they can “help,” and then giving them a plan to do so.

After 16 days, there were no more videos and the rewards for eating these foods were less frequent.

The researchers found a significant increase in fruit and vegetable consumption both at school and at home among children in the experimental condition. The greatest increase was seen in the children who at the beginning of the study had shown the lowest consumption rates of fruit and vegetables. For example, during snack time, these children went from eating just 4% of the fruit they were given, to eating 68% of it after watching the Food Dudes series. Four months later, they were still eating twelve times as much fruit as they had originally, and four times the quantity of vegetables. In the control school, where the same fruit and vegetables were offered to students, but without the Food Dudes intervention, there was no change in their interest in consumption rates.

The study is a good demonstration of how social cognitive theory can be applied.  The children were interested in and paid attention to the videos.  The message was repetitive, increasing the retention of the key goal of eating fruits and vegetables. The letter directly to the children and the small prizes increased motivation. And finally, both the availability of fruit and vegetables in the school lunches and snacks increased the potential for changing the behaviour.  Both the letter and home pack were designed to increase a sense of self-efficacy.

The study had a relatively large sample size and the program is highly standardized, allowing for potential replicability. This would increase the reliability of the findings.

The study used a pre-test/post-test design. There was also a control condition. This allows the researchers to infer a cause and effect relationship. In addition, the study was longitudinal, observing not only the immediate effect of the program on the children's eating behaviour but also the enduring effects of the program after four months.

The study was carried out on young school children. This means that there are limitations to the generalizability of the findings.

The follow-up was four months after the study. It could be argued that this is not a long enough period of time to determine whether the effects of the program were long-term.

Although there was triangulation of data, there is also the concern for some potential biases on the part of the researchers - as well as a question of demand characteristics in the parental reports of the children's eating behaviour. 

Lowe, C. F., Horne, P. J., Hardman, C. A., & Tapper, K. (2004). A peer-modeling and rewards-based intervention is effective in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in children. Eur J Clin Nutr, 58(12), 1647-1660. doi :10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602024