3🍋Social Learning Theory- Approaches PAPER2

Question 1

era of influence

Answer 1

1960s

Question 2

key psychologist

Answer 2

Albert Bandura

Question 3

3 Key Assumptions

Answer 3

1. believes mediations processes occurs between stimulus response
2. focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context
3. learning occurs from observing others

Question 4

Modelling

Answer 4

-we learn through modelling
-modelling involves learning through observing other people (models)
-this may lead to imitation of behaviour

Question 5

Live Models

Answer 5

-real life individual present in our environment (live or digital) demonstrating or acting out a behaviour
-eg mum, sister, sportsman

Question 6

Symbolic Models

Answer 6

-fictional characters displaying behaviours in books, films, games, tv, online media
-eg James Bond, Oliver Twist

Question 7

Cultural Models

Answer 7

-in cultures where media is not widely available this involves known personalities within tight cultural framework
-eg Kim Jong Um

Question 8

Identification

Answer 8

-associating with qualities, characteristics, views or specific role model who possesses qualities individuals would like for themselves
-when learner identifies with role model, they will remember their behaviour and add it to repertoire of actions they can produce and may imitate

Question 9

Imitation

Answer 9

-copying or reproducing behaviour learnt through observation
-learners make judgement about whether it is the right situation in which to reproduce it and whether they are likely to be successful in performing action
-actively testing whether they should reproduce behaviour again by evaluation reinforcement received

Question 10

Reinforcement

Answer 10

-consequence of action for learner, desirable consequences will lead to behaviour being reproduced
-if behaviour reinforced sufficiently, becomes internalised, will no longer need reinforcement, fixed part of learner behaviour and identity

Question 11

Vicarious Reinforcement

Answer 11

-learning not as direct reinforcement, rather an observation of another persons experience
-second hand reinforcement

Question 12

Stimulus—> Mediational Processes—> Response

Answer 12

Stimulus- something in our environment
Mediational Processes- attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation
Response- observable behaviour

Question 13

Mediational Processes

Answer 13

Attention- individual notices someone in their environment
Retention- individual remembers what they have observed
Motor Reproduction- individual replicates behaviour shown by model
Motivation- individual seeks to demonstrate observed behaviour

Question 14

AIM Bandura Ross & Ross 1961 Doll experiment.

Answer 14

-to demonstrate that aggression can be learned through modelling

Question 15

METHOD
Bandura Ross & Ross 1961 Doll experiment

Answer 15

72 children between 3-6 years old
In all groups equal numbers boys & girls
PART A
aggressive model
-children watched while an adult hit and shouted at a bobo doll in playroom
non-aggressive model
-children watched while an adult played quietly with a construction set and cooker in playroom
control
-did not see a model in playroom
PART B
-children were observed while they spent 20 minutes alone in a room with a range of aggressive and non aggressive toys including bobo doll

Question 16

RESULTS
Bandura Ross & Ross 1961 Doll experiment

Answer 16

-children who saw the aggressive model produced more aggressive acts that those in other groups
-children imitated their same sex model more than opposing sex model, boys imitated more than girls
-children imitated more physical aggression if they saw male models, and more verbal aggression if they saw female models
-children who saw an aggressive model were more likely to play with ‘violent toys’ even thought they had not seen a model use them

Question 17

CONCLUSION
Bandura Ross & Ross 1961 Doll experiment

Answer 17

-aggression can be learned through modelling
-modelling is more likely to occur with same sex model

Question 18

Strength of SLT (Identification, Fox and Bailenson 2009, Computer models gym)

Answer 18

-computer generated virtual humans rnganging in exercise or loitering
-models looked similar or dissimilar to individual participants
-participants who viewed their virtual model exercising engaged in more exercise in 24 hours after experiment than participants who viewed dissimilar model loitering
-supports social learning theory as it supports theory that we identify more with models similar to us

Question 19

Strength of SLT (real life application to health campaigns)

Answer 19

-media attempts to change health related behaviours have shown that using similar models to target audience bring about greater identification and social change eg decrease likelihood of smoking
-Andsager (2006) found thag perceived similarity to a model in anti alcohol advertisement was positively related to effectiveness of ad.
-researchers suggest that some of the messages potency may be lost if individual finds it difficult to identify with given model

Question 20

Strength SLT (real life application to criminal behaviour)

Answer 20

-Akers (1998) suggests that the probability of someone engaging in criminal behaviour increases when they are exposed to models who commit criminal behaviour
-at risk young people may identify with these models and develop the expectation of positive consequences for their own criminal behaviour
-much work has happened in schools to counteract the positive image of things such as knife crime and gang cultures
-personal representation of people that someone can identify with are used, the target audience is young black men previously involved in gang activity, when they see the positive consequences of leaving gang, they will see hope and also consider leaving

Question 21

Strength SLT (prevent transmission of violent behaviour)

Answer 21

-can be used to help researchers understand how aggression and violence might be transmitted thogiht observational learning
-by studying media violence, researchers can gain a better understanding of factors that might lead children to act out the aggressive actions they see portrayed on television and in movies
-Banduras work has impacted UK television, by moving certain programmes with sensitive or violent topics past 9pm so children will not be exposed to this

Question 22

Limitation SLT (problem of causality)

Answer 22

-assumes that as we identify role models and then increase our associations with them we will take on their values and behaviours
-it therefore assumes that associations with deviant peers increases likelihood that an individual will adopt the same values and behaviours
-critics argue that delinquency may not happen because of social learning, instead they argue if you possess deviant attitudes prior you might seek out deviant peers

Question 23

Limitation SLT (disregards other potential influences on behaviour)

Answer 23

-emphasise importance of gender specific modelling, in real life however a child is exposed to many different influences for example :
1. genetic predisposition
2. media portrayals
3. an absence of role models of one particular gender
- this presents a serious problem for social learning researchers
- if virtually anything can have an influence on a specific behaviour, it becomes very difficult to show that one particular thing (social learning) is the main casual influence.