What Is Vicarious Learning? (+Phases, Examples, Strategies)

When it comes to learning something new, nothing beats hands-on experiences. Detailed instructions and well-planned training, while helpful, are outdated and ineffective. To truly understand how something works, we need to see it in action or learn by doing.

The 70-20-10 rule of learning states that 70% of learning comes from hands-on experiences, 20% from social experiences, and 10% from traditional types of training.

Unfortunately, that’s not always an option. Learning in the flow of work can often present a high risk, whether that is the potential to miscommunicate services, handle support issues incorrectly, enter data incorrectly, or follow wrong procedures—the list goes on. Consider the danger of learning by experience in sectors like healthcare or roles like customer support.

Vicarious learning, or learning by observation, is one way to offer real-life experience while reducing the risks of learning by real-life experience. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of vicarious learning, showcase examples of vicarious learning in the workplace, break down the limitations of this learning style, and explore vicarious learning strategies to enable your employees.

What Is Vicarious Learning?

Vicarious learning is a type of learning in which individuals acquire knowledge or skills by observing, analyzing, and modeling others. Rather than learning to complete a task via direct instruction, a vicarious learner sees or hears how another completes (or fails to complete) a task. They then use that information to guide their own decisions. For example, watching a YouTube video on fixing your leaky faucet is an example of vicarious learning.

Benefits of Vicarious Learning

Here are some of the most significant benefits of vicarious learning.

Faster skill acquisition: Employees can learn different techniques, best practices, and even the consequences of mistakes directly from experts and peers, allowing them to acquire skills faster and more efficiently.
Better knowledge transfer: By incorporating teachable moments into day-to-day activities and interactions, experts can more efficiently share knowledge, teach skills, and provide tips or feedback.
More comprehensive understanding of theory into practice: Learners can see how their skills directly translate into role responsibilities and requirements.
Reduced risk: Individuals gain real-world experience without facing potential costly or dangerous negative consequences from making mistakes or poor decisions.

Vicarious Learning vs. Observational Learning vs. Kinesthetic Learning

Here’s how vicarious learning differs from observational and kinesthetic learning

Vicarious Learning

Vicarious learning occurs when individuals gain knowledge by observing the experiences of others, focusing on the outcomes of their actions. This type of learning emphasizes understanding the consequences—whether positive or negative—without needing to perform the task firsthand. For example, an employee may avoid making a mistake after witnessing a coworker face repercussions for similar errors. Vicarious learning is particularly effective in environments where risk mitigation and decision-making are crucial, as it helps individuals adapt their behavior by internalizing lessons from their surroundings.

Observational Learning

Observational learning involves acquiring new skills or behaviors by watching others perform tasks or demonstrate processes. Unlike vicarious learning, the focus is on modeling and imitation rather than the outcomes of others’ actions. This method is essential for learning new abilities, as it allows individuals to replicate behaviors they have seen, fostering skill development without formal instruction. For instance, a student may learn to solve math problems by carefully observing a teacher’s demonstration on the board. Observational learning plays a key role in education, workplace training, and social interactions.

Kinesthetic Learning

Kinesthetic learning is a hands-on approach that relies on physical activity and direct engagement with tasks to facilitate understanding and retention. This type of learning activates muscle memory and requires learners to actively participate in the learning process. For example, a mechanic in training may master engine repair by physically working with car parts rather than reading manuals or watching tutorials. Kinesthetic learning is especially effective in fields requiring practical application, such as sports, arts, and technical trades, where experience and repetition are vital for success.

The Four Phases of Vicarious Learning

Vicarious learning has four phases: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Let’s break down each below.

1. Attention

The first phase of vicarious learning is attention, or what elements of the demonstration the learner chooses to focus on. Overly complex, dull, or lengthy demonstrations impact learners’ attention, causing them to lose interest or focus on the wrong demonstration elements.

2. Retention

During the retention phase, learners store the observed behavior to use later. Trainees might think of the behavior as an IF/THEN equation or a cognitive map, or they may mentally rehearse how to perform the task.

3. Motoric reproduction

The next phase requires the learner to reproduce the behavior using the information they gathered and retained. Trainees attempt the task themselves, then adjust based on feedback and continue practicing.

4. Reinforcement and motivation

The final phase of vicarious learning is reinforcement and motivation, or whether the behavior will be performed and adopted. This phase depends on outcomes, consequences, expectations, and rewards.

Examples of Vicarious Learning in the Workplace

Whether we recognize it or not, we’re learning vicariously all the time—both inside and outside the workplace. However, there are a few ways to increase the opportunities for vicarious learning for employees and team members.

Here are some examples of vicarious learning taking place in corporate settings:

1. Mentorship and job shadowing programs

Connecting junior employees with experienced team members can provide an inside look at the day-to-day responsibilities and expectations of more senior roles or positions in different departments.

Mentorships and job shadowing programs are a great way to train new employees, prepare team members for promotions, or equip individuals with the skills they need to take on more responsibilities at work. Examples of this include sales coaching and onboarding buddy programs.

2. Reviewing real-life case studies and webinars

Case studies or demonstrational webinars show how other companies, teams, or clients implemented a specific solution to achieve a desired outcome. Reviewing this type of content can provide solutions or ideas on how to solve similar problems or achieve similar results.

3. Peer-to-peer learning

Peer groups allow individuals to learn in a collaborative environment. Peer-to-peer learning might include role-playing scenarios, group demonstrations, or simulation training. Working as a team pushes trainees to share experiences, provide feedback, and find creative solutions.

Challenges of Vicarious Learning

Here are three of the biggest limitations of implementing vicarious learning strategies in the workplace:

Limited control over learning: This method of training doesn’t work for everyone. Employees and trainees might experience demonstrations differently or struggle to pick up on important details or concepts. Because vicarious learning depends on the learner acquiring and retaining the right information, it can be difficult to control what they focus on or remember.
Passive learning: If trainees aren’t engaged with demonstrations or presentations, they become passive learners. Simply observing without retaining key details and information could prevent them from remembering the specific steps to replicate the behavior when the time comes.
Unequal access to learning opportunities: What trainees learn vicariously is entirely dependent on the experiences they’re exposed to. The involvement of peer groups, demonstrators, and mentors will all influence the learning opportunities an individual is given, meaning trainees might get vastly different learning experiences.

5 Vicarious Learning Strategies

Here are five ways to implement vicarious learning strategies for your employees.

1. Create an official buddy or mentorship program

Encourage involvement by creating a buddy or mentorship program. You can do this by:

Establishing a peer-to-peer mentoring program that matches participants for a monthly meetup. Participants can connect with a new peer at each meeting to ask questions, request feedback, or brainstorm ideas on how to solve their problems at work.
Connecting junior employees to experienced mentors. Mentors can help train new employees by sharing their own professional experiences and helping them acquire new skills.
Developing peer learning groups focused on different skills or interests. These groups can meet regularly to work together on learning new skills, knowledge, and ideas.

2. Provide hands-on learning experiences with simulated applications and situations

Simulations are an excellent way for trainees to get hands-on experience in a low-risk environment, especially when real-life situations can be costly or dangerous for inexperienced participants. Simulated applications and situations can boost trainee confidence in complex processes and encourage them to explore different techniques or problem-solving strategies.

With a tool like Whatfix Mirror, create replica sandbox environments of your enterprise software and its custom workflows. This provides a no-risk environment for your employees to complete tasks and build skills through hands-on experience. Guide employees step-by-step through these tasks with Flows, Task Lists, and Smart Tips to further build knowledge.

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3. Establish knowledge repositories like an internal knowledge base

A knowledge repository hosts all kinds of learning, training, and support content to help employees through challenges as they arise. An internal knowledge base enables employees to find the company knowledge, SOPs, and other learning materials they need as they need them, allowing them to solve problems more efficiently.

A knowledge repository that supports vicarious learning might include:

How-to videos for completing tasks or troubleshooting problems.
Case studies, success stories, and solution overviews.
Webinars and recorded training sessions.
Educational presentations, guides, or overviews.

4. Support employees with just-in-time guided learning experiences

Just-in-time learning experiences appear at the moment an employee or user needs it most, including in-app guidance, context-sensitive support, and self-service help. These learning experiences are embedded within the apps and tools your team already uses to deliver support as employees move through and complete processes.

Automating vicarious learning opportunities can enable employees to learn at their own pace and provide the training they need when it applies to them. It can also help remind employees of processes they learned previously but may need additional support completing.

Just-in-time guided learning experiences might include:

In-app flows to guide users through each step of the process.
Smart Tips to provide contextual information or additional details
Videos embedded in a pop-up window
Quick access to knowledge base materials and other support resources

With a digital adoption platform like Whatfix DAP, leverage a no-code editor to create on-screen overlays that guide employees through their mission-critical tasks. Tours and Task Lists accelerate new hires’ time to proficiency. Flows and Smart Tips provide additional context at critical friction points of complex workflows or support end-users through infrequently done tasks. Self Help integrates with your knowledge repositories, allowing employees to search an embedded resource center that overlays your digital workplace.

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5. Host cross-functional lunch-and-learns

Cross-functional meetups expose employees and team members to new activities, skills, and experiences, allowing them to learn something new. Hosting lunch-and-learns with cross-functional teams creates a low-stress environment for learning and exploring new concepts and ideas.

Lunch-and-learn topics for vicarious learning could be:

Sharing department case studies, success stories, or lessons learned from mistakes.
Tool and technique demonstrations across teams and functions.
Cross-functional brainstorming to tackle new or complex problems.
Networking to establish go-to experts for future problems or questions.
Interactive Q&As.

L&D Clicks Better with Whatfix

No matter your approach to learning and development, creating a program that sticks requires a multifaceted approach. In addition to engaging in in-person discussions and hands-on demonstrations, you need tools to support and back up the lessons or applications team members are learning.

This is where Whatfix shines. Whatfix takes vicarious learning strategies to the next level with in-app tools and guidance that help reinforce learning and training.

With Whatfix DAP, enable end-users with contextual in-app guidance that supports employees in the flow of work. Task Lists and Tours help guide employees through core features and how to complete their tasks. Flows and Smart Tips help end-users complete infrequently done tasks and follow the correct path in complex, multi-step workflows. Self Help integrates with your knowledge repositories and brings that institutional knowledge inside your digital applications for on-demand help.

With Whatfix Mirror, create replica sandbox environments of your enterprise software and its custom workflows. This provides a no-risk environment for your employees to complete tasks and build skills through hands-on experience. Guide employees step-by-step through these tasks with Flows, Task Lists, and Smart Tips to further build knowledge.

Schedule a free demo to see how Whatfix can support your next L&D initiative.

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