ac 2.2 + 3.2 - learning theories (individualistic) Flashcards
what are the learning theories?
operant conditioning and social learning theory
what is operant conditioning?
it is based on the work of Skinner and says that if a behaviour is rewarded (reinforcement) it is more likely to be repeated, whereas if it is punished it’s less likely to be repeated
what was Skinner’s box experiment
a rat was put in a box and it was reinforced to press the lever through the reward of a food pellet (positive reinforcement) when it did so, as well as this there was also an electrical current along the bottom of the box and pressing the lever would also stop this (negative reinforcement)
what is positive reinforcement
this when something positive is added as a result of showing a desirable behaviour, e.g. getting money for doing chores
what is negative reinforcement?
this is when something negative is taken away as a result of showing a desirable behaviour, e.g. you do your homework so you don’t get detention
what is punishment?
you are punished for a bad behaviour which makes you less likely to repeat it
how can operant conditioning be used to explain criminality?
criminality can be learnt through reward and punishment. positive reinforcement can be applied to criminality as people may be more likely to commit a crime or continue to do so if they are rewarded by things like respect from peers or money from theft. negative reinforcement can also be linked to criminality as people may commit a crime someone tells them to in order to avoid retaliation for not listening to them. punishment is likely to deter people from committing crime, e.g. sever and immediate punishment like being arrested or a fine. a lack of punishment will likely mean that the criminal acts still occur
strengths of operant conditioning
- a strength is that Jeffrey supports. he said that, if crime leads to more rewarding (reinforcement) than punishing outcomes for the individual, they will be more likely to offend. therefore, this adds credibility to operant conditioning as an explanation of criminality.
- a strength is that Skinners research with rats adds credibility. he used a ‘Skinners box’ where rats were positively reinforced to press a lever as they were rewarded with a food pellet if they did so, and this would also stop the electrical current along the bottom of the box (negative reinforcement). therefore, this shows how operant conditioning works which can be used as an explanation of criminality.
weaknesses of operant conditioning
- a weakness of operant conditioning is that it is deterministic. this theory assumes that humans have no choice but to repeat behaviours they are rewarded for and it ignores re will. therefore, this limits the credibility of operant conditioning as an explanation of criminality.
- a weakness of operant conditioning is that Skinner used animals - rats - in his research for the theory. humans are far more complex than animals, e.g. emotional intelligence, and have qualitative differences. therefore, this theory may not be generalisable to humans and criminality in them.
- a weakness if that operant conditioning is reductionist. it doesn’t consider individual differences, e.g cultural or personal values, and says that the concepts of reward and punishment are what influence behaviour in humans. therefore, this credibility of operant conditioning as an explanation of criminality is criticised.
what is SLT?
it was proposed by Bandura and it says that individuals learn through observation and reproduction of a role models behaviours/actions. ARRM
what characteristics make individuals more likely to copy behaviours?
low self esteem and high self efficacy
what is vicarious reinforcement?
the idea that we are more likely to copy a behaviour if you see the role model be rewarded for it, e.g. you see your sister get money for doing chores so you do chores as well
what role does motivation play in SLT?
for an individual to copy a behaviour, they must be motivated to do s. this can either be intrinsic (feel good about yourself for it) or extrinsic (receive praise from others for it)
Bandura (1961)
72 children split into groups of 6 and observed either same or different sex role models be aggressive towards a bobo doll or not aggressive. children were then presented with a medley frustrating situation before being taken into another room with a bobo doll where they were observed to see if they would imitate the role models behaviours. boys were generally more aggressive then girls, higher imitation for same sex role models and those who observed aggressive models were more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviours themselves
SLT linked to criminality
A - individual observes criminal behaviour in role model, e.g. gang member shoplifting and receiving praise from group for it (vicarious reinforcement through seeing them be praised)
R - they remember the technique used, e.g. if they threatened the shopkeeper, had an escape plan, etc
R - the individual copies the behaviour, e.g. attempts to steal something themselves
M - extrinsic motivation of receiving motivation from peers and/or intrinsic as you feel good about yourself for being ike your role model
strengths of SLT
- a strength of SLT is that it has high application. the 9pm watershed was introduced in order to avoid children seeing negative behaviours as Bandura’s research showed the impact of role models on behaviour. therefore, his can be used to improve society by helping to stop criminality in children.
- a strength of SLT is that Patterson supports. this study demonstrated how role models - namely parents - play a key role in the development of anti-social behaviour as, through use of questionnaires, they found that aggressive children were raised in home where their parents were also aggressive. therefore, this shows the idea of observational learning and how this could be used to explain criminal behaviour like violent crimes.
weaknesses of SLT
- a weakness is that Bandura’s study may have been one of compliance rather than imitation. the purpose of a bobo doll is to hit it and so children may have been doing what they thought they were supposed to rather than copying the role model. therefore, this theory lacks credibility as an explanation of criminality as the validity of the results for Bandura’s study can be questioned.
- a weakness of SLT is that Bandura’s research was a lab experiment. this is an artificial environment and not realistic to a real life setting. therefore, results may not be accurate first how SLT may be shown in real life, criticising this theories credibility as an explanation of crime. (could do a however an say there is high control)
- a weakness of SLT is that it is deterministic. it assumes all humans will imitate behaviours they observe in role models, which goes against the legal view of crime that assumes we have free will over our behaviour. therefore, this theory lacks credibility as an explanation of criminality.
