The article discusses the concept of social learning in the context of natural resource management and policy. It highlights the lack of consensus and clarity around the definition of social learning, which often conflates it with other concepts like participation and proenvironmental behavior. The authors argue that social learning should be defined by three key criteria: (1) a change in understanding among individuals, (2) this change extending beyond the individual to influence wider social units or communities of practice, and (3) the learning occurring through social interactions and processes within a social network. They emphasize the importance of distinguishing social learning from the conditions that facilitate it and its potential outcomes. The article aims to provide a clearer conceptual basis for social learning to enhance its evaluation and facilitation in social-ecological systems.The article discusses the concept of social learning in the context of natural resource management and policy. It highlights the lack of consensus and clarity around the definition of social learning, which often conflates it with other concepts like participation and proenvironmental behavior. The authors argue that social learning should be defined by three key criteria: (1) a change in understanding among individuals, (2) this change extending beyond the individual to influence wider social units or communities of practice, and (3) the learning occurring through social interactions and processes within a social network. They emphasize the importance of distinguishing social learning from the conditions that facilitate it and its potential outcomes. The article aims to provide a clearer conceptual basis for social learning to enhance its evaluation and facilitation in social-ecological systems.