4 - Learning Approach - Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Outline the social learning theory
States that new patterns of behaviour can be learnt by observing the behaviour of others. During learning, people perform behaviours and observe different consequences such as punishment or reinforcement.
List the main stages of social learning Bandura devised
Modelling
Imitation
Identification
Vicarious Reinforcement
Outline the modelling stage
In order for social learning to take place models must carry out the behaviour to be learnt. A live model could be a parent, teacher or peer. A symbolic model could be someone in the media
Outline the imitation stage
A lot of the behaviour people acquire is learnt though imitating the behaviour that is modelled by their parents and other significant models. When a model is provided entire patterns of behaviour can be rapidly acquired.
Outline identification
More likely to imitate behaviour of a model who we admire or who is similar to us in some way (e.g. same age and gender).
Observers must feel that they are similar enough to the model that if they performed the same behaviour, the consequence would be the same for them as it was for the model.
Outline vicarious reinforcement
Individuals learn by observing the behaviour of others and the reward and punishment they receive.
People do not need to experience rewards or punishments directly in order to learn from them. People may learn behaviours, but not perform them because they have also learned that the behaviour is likely to be punished if displayed.
What are meditational processes
Cognitive factors occur between the stimulus (observing the behaviour) and the response (imitating the behaviour).
Describe the Bobo doll experiment Bandura did
Observational study involving 36 male and 36 female children aged 37-69 months of age
They had to observe either an aggressive/non aggressive female/male model who was interacting with a bobo doll.
In one condition the aggressive model displayed aggressive acts towards the bobo doll such as striking it with a mallet and shouting verbally aggressive words such as, “POW!”
After the children observed these aggressive acts, they were made to feel frustrated. Shown attractive toys but told they were not allowed to play with them
One by one taken to a room which had some toys including a bobo doll (other toys include a mallet, a dart gun and some non aggressive toys too). The children were observed for 20 minutes.
What were the results of the Bobo doll experiment?
Children who observed aggressive model reproduced the same aggressive behaviour towards the bobo doll.
Children who observed the non aggressive model, showed no aggression to the bobo doll.
33% of children who observed and heard verbal aggression repeated what they had seen and heard, “POW!” However 0% of children in the non aggressive group displayed verbal aggression
Follow up study - observed a model being rewarded for their aggressive behaviour - this increased the likelihood that the children would also be aggressive towards the bobo doll.
Boys seem to more aggressive than girls, and imitation of aggression was greatest when the model was the same gender as the observer.
What are the positives of the social learning theory?
Found that criminals engage in more criminal behaviour when they are exposed to a criminal model that they highly identify with. If the model receives a positive outcome for committing crime then this increases the likelihood that the observer will also commit crime.
Found evidence to suggest that when an observer played a computer game that had a model that looked very similar to themselves, they were more likely to engage in the same behaviours as the model, such as engaging in exercise or loitering.
Social learning theory recognises the importance of both behavioural and cognitive factors (meditational processes) when examining how people learn new behaviours, unlike classical and operant conditioning.
What are the negatives of the social learning theory
Social learning theory can be criticised because it does not take into account cause and effect. Found that young people who have deviant attitudes seek out peers with similar attitudes, rather than becoming deviant because of their peers.
Social learning theory ignores the role of biology in behaviour. Bandura (1961) found in his experiment that boys were more aggressive than girls, regardless of the experimental situation they were in. Boys might be more aggressive because of the hormone testosterone(beta bias).
What happens in mediational processes?
First the observer must pay attention to the model (attend to their actions)
Secondly the observer must be capable of retention (remember the behaviour that has been modelled)
Thirdly the observer must be motivated to imitate the behaviour (because they want the same reward the model received.
Finally the observer must consider themselves to be physically and psychologically capable of reproducing the behaviour.
