Bryan and Test (1967) also stated that behavior could be learned through learning. Imitation, as it is also termed, is a less time consuming alternative to operant conditioning, which has proved to be a long and tedious process. It also allows us to see quickly which actions are viewed of acceptable and those that are not, and also, those actions that are likely to have pleasant consequences. These reinforcements can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic means that the effect of the reinforcement will be immediate and will have direct consequences for us e.g. diving into a swimming pool has the immediate and direct consequence for you of getting wet. However, the effect and consequences of extrinsic reinforcements may take longer, such as attending classes, which may not give you instant reinforcement, but the result of getting a good mark at the end of those classes will. Hence, the theorists no longer perceive reinforcement as an intimate drive as there can be a lapse of time between the action taking place and the reinforcement that follows. The social learning theory differs to the behaviorist theories of Classical and Operant conditioning in that they see the mechanism by which we learn as that of vicarious learning, with the key to this being empathy; how we experience another person's emotions though we are not in their body. According to the social learning theory, we are influenced by the reinforcement they receive, whether this is positive or negative. It is the emotion, the empathy that creates a link between what you are observing and the process of feeling the reinforcer yourself. It is possible to experience both vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment, even though at no point does the observers actually have to carry out the behavior themselves. There are other aspects to help explain the way in which we learn. One of these is the area of metacognition, an understanding of how our mind works.