4.2.1 Social Learning Theory Flashcards
State the key assumptions of social learning theory
-In the 1960s, Bandura agreed with behaviourists that much of our behaviour is learned direction from experience (eg. Classical and operant conditioning)
-However, he proposed a different way in which this happens, through observation and imitation of others within a social context- social learning from other people
-Rejects the behaviourist notion that learning a behaviour is purely the outcome of a stimulus-response loop, as it can also be learnt indirectly
-Assumes mental processes are important in how people learn behaviour- the observer must understand which behaviours are rewarded or punished, and then make active and conscious decisions about what to do.
-SLT was seen as a bridge between behaviourism and the cognitive approach, due to its recognition of mental processes
-It was renamed Social Cognitive Theory in the 1980s
What types of experiment were used to prove SLT?
Laboratory experiment which were mostly conducted on people, meaning results were high in internal validity.
Define social learning theory
A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
Define imitation
Copying the behaviour of others
Describe what vicarious reinforcement is
-An individual observes the behaviour of others, and the consequences of their behaviour- whether they are rewarded or punished
-Imitation is likely to occur if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded rather than punished
-This shows how we can learn by observing the behaviour of others, and the consequences of that behaviour to them
-Vicarious reinforcement is not directly experienced by the observer, but is indirectly experienced
Describe modelling from the observer’s perspective
From the observer’s perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model.
-a person becomes a role model if they identify with (have similar characteristics to) the observer, or they are attractive and have a high status.
What is modelling from the role model’s perspective?
From the role model’s perspective, modelling is the precise demonstration of a specific behaviour, that may be imitated by the observer.
Describe identification
Identification is when a person associates themselves with a role model, and therefore wants to be like the role model.
-people are more likely to imitate a person who they identify with
-a role model mash not always be physically present, hence the role of the media
Describe how SLT acknowledges cognitive processes
Despite observing a behaviour, and it being rewarded, a person may still choose not to perform the behaviour, or is it not appropriate to do so. This shows how fundamental cognitive and mental processes are to the SLT approach to behaviour.
Define mediational processes
Mediational processes are internal cognitive factors which determine whether or not behaviour is imitated. They come between observation and imitation (stimulus and response).
State the 4 mediational processes and define them
1) Attention- the extent to which the observer notices or pays attention to the behaviour
2) Retention- whether the observer is able to store or retain the new behaviour in their memory
3) Reproduction- the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
4) Motivation- the will or motivation of the observer to perform the behaviour, usually through vicarious reinforcement
State what Bandura did for SLT?
He conducted a series of experiments to explain social learning theory, as he believed in observational learning, and that it was the most important process in human learning.
Describe Bandura’s first experiment and what it shows
BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT- 1961
Aimed to investigate whether aggression in children can be learnt via the Social learning theory principles
-the adult observed by some of the children behaved in an aggressive way towards a doll
-however, some children observed an adult who showed no aggression towards the doll
-the children who observed the aggressive model behaved much more aggressively when later playing with the dolls and toys, than those who had observed a non-aggressive model
This showed how aggressive behaviour can be learnt in children, through observation and imitation of a model
Describe Bandura’s second experiment and what it showed
SECOND BOBO DOLL EXPERIMENT (1963)
-Bandura and Walters showed videos to children, where an adult behaved aggressively towards the bobo doll
-the first group saw the adult get praised for their behaviour
-the second group saw the adult get punished for their behaviour
-the third group saw the adult receive no consequence
-when given their own bobo doll, the first group showed much more aggression, followed by the third group, and then the second
This illustrates the concept of vicarious reinforcement.
NOTE: this links to how behaviours learnt in the media link to the behaviours we go on to display, highlighting how influential the media really is.
