3.6 Social Learning Theory As Applied To Gender Development Flashcards
define social learning theory
the process of learning through observing others and imitating behaviours that are rewarded
summarise social learning theory as applied to gender development
SLT emphasises learning from others (social) who model and reinforce gender behaviours (Bandura)
indirect (vicarious) reinforcement - children learn consequences of behaviour through observation but only imitate people with whom they identify (same-sex models)
mediational processes - cognitive theory because expectancies of future outcomes determine likelihood of imitation (Bandura)
maintenance through direct reinforcement - children may learn gender-inappropriate behaviour but are punished for imitating it.
direct tuition - once children acquire language, people (e.g. parents) can explicitly tell them what to do and not do
self-direction - once gender-appropriate behaviours internalised, a child can direct own behaviour
evaluate social learning theory as applied to gender development
evidence to support modeling - children imitate behaviour of same-sex models but not if counter-stereotypical (Perry and Bussey)
direct tuition may be more effective then modelling - children play with toys labelled for their sex even if same-sex child observed playing with opposite sex toy (Martin et al.)
peers not gender influences - either too young to be relating to peers or peers simply reinforce existing stereotypes (Lamb and Roopnarine)
self-direction - younger children disapproved of others engaging in gender-inappropriate play but no themselves; older children disapproved of themselves too (Bussey and Bandura)
too much emphasis on social processes - cross-cultural research shows universals in gender behaviour, e.g. what men and women desire in a partner is similar (Buss)
how is social learning theory related to gender development?
some of Freud’s ideas were adopted by SLT psychologists such as Bandura.
Internalisation & Identification can be related to gender development
define internalisation
Accepting others’ beliefs because they resonate with yours
define identification
Complying to gain access to a group, then accepting it over time
explain indirect reinforcement as an explanation for gender development, as proposed by Bandura 1991
children observe the behaviour of others and learn the consequences of the behaviour (vicarious reinforcement)
- by observing the consequences of gender related behaviours, children gradually learn something about what is appropriate behaviour in the world around them.
the vicarious reinforcement is vital.
- although boys and girls may observe characteristics behaviours of both sexes, they are only likely to repeat the behaviours of the people they identify with
Bandura revised the name of his 1986 Social Learning Theory. He called the modern version Social Cognitive Theory, explain how it is applied.
By the 1990s, behaviourism was becoming less popular - the cognitive approach was explaining the processes it couldn’t account for
Bandura began with the term “mediational processes”, and later started calling them “cognitive processes”
The cognitive process is cost vs benefit
- Children undergo a cognitive assessment of new behaviours, comparing the expectations of reward vs punishment (ie. behaviourism with a cognitive step)
explain the role of mediational processes in gender development
information about reinforcement is stored as an expectancy of future outcome
when appropriate opportunities arise in the future, children will display behaviours they have observed provided that the expectation of reward is greater than the expectation of punishment
the display of such behaviours is called imitation or modelling - but it depends on indirect reinforcement and opportunity
explain the process of maintenance through direct reinforcement, Bandura’s social cognitive model
He said that whatever we expected, the future of behaviours depended on physical consequences - direct positive and negative reinforcement, or punishment.
If a child performs a non-stereotypical behaviour and is “punished” when other children mock them, this behaviour will become less frequent.
Whenever a parent/teacher/friend rewards gender-appropriate behaviour, it becomes more frequent
When mocking leads to behaviour change that results in acceptance/praise, the new behaviour becomes more frequent
explain the process of direct tuition and self-direction in the application of social learning theory in gender development
Cognitive processes like rehearsal allow children to learn through direct tuition
Eg. through TV programmes, parental instructions, etc.
When children have internalised behaviours (formed in-group identities/achieved gender stability), they also start to self-direct
Cognitive processes allow them to feel good or bad when they reflect on their own actions - producing their own reinforcement/punishment
He called this reciprocal determinism
This means behaviour is determined by a feedback loop
Behaviour - Reflection - Consequence - Adjustment - Behaviour - etc…
