06. Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What did social learning theory (1960) propose?
Learning can occur when one individual observes and imitates another, the model.
What did Bandura (1977) believe was the 4 criteria needed to be met for imitation to occur?
- Attention to role model.
- Retention of the observed behaviour.
- Reproduction of the target behaviour.
- Motivation to imitate observed behaviour.
Describe the key aspects of attention.
-If you are going to learn anything, you have to carefully watch the model
-Can’t be distracted during this process. Must be able to see and concentrate on the model.
Describe the key aspects of retention.
-Having observed the model, we must be able to retain the model’s behaviour.
-Store in memory what we have observed.
-Try and make it as meaningful as possible.
Describe the key aspects of reproduction.
-The learner is able to replicate what was observed.
-We must feel that we are able to do what the model did, so competency is a factor.
-Self efficacy (belief in capacity to act in ways necessary to reach goals).
Describe the key aspects of motivation.
The learner must have an incentive or reason to perform what was observed.
Define vicarious reinforcement.
Seeing someone else being rewarded.
Define intrinsic reinforcement.
Rewarding yourself.
Define external reinforcement.
Someone else rewarding you.
What factors influence us with imitating models?
-High status: liked and competent.
-Similarity: age and sex.
-Familiar: known through previous observation.
-Observable: clearly visible and stands out.
-Belief: you think you could imitate the behaviour.
Describe Kindler et al (2015) refuting research into learning.
-Kindler et al (2015) showed identical twins are more similar in their aggression level than non identical twins.
-Suggests that individual differences in behaviour such as aggression are genetically influenced,
-Therefore, there may be biological explanations and social learning theory is an incomplete explanation regarding the acquisition of behaviour.
Describe SLT real life application.
-Can be used to understand the risks of exposing children to violent parents and how it may affect their development and perceptions of acceptable behaviour.
-Boys in particular are at risk of imitating physical aggression modelled by male adults,
-However, a limitation of the application of the theory is that it does not explain all behaviour so application may not be relevant where biological explanations may be a better explanation.
