Aggression- SLT Flashcards
What are the key ideas in social learning theory?
observation of role models which then leads to the imitation of role models’ behaviour depending on whether that behaviour is seen to be rewarded or not
What is learning aggression by direct experience?
-Aggressive action
-Action is reinforced
- Behaviour is more likely to be reproduced
What is learning aggression by indirect experience (vicarious reinforcement)?
-Observe role models’ behaviour
-Behaviour is reproduced
-Occurs as they watch the consequences of behaviour
What are the 4 cognitive conditions for SLT?
Attention- can learn through observation but only if they are paying attention
Retention- to model the behaviour it has to be placed into long-term memory which enables it to be retrieved
Production-the behaviour needs to be able to produce the behaviour
Motivation- an individual expects to receive positive reinforcement for the modelled behaviour
What was the procedure for Banduras study?
-Divided 66 nursery ages children into 3 groups
-All 3 groups watched a film of an aggressive adult
3 conditions:
1-Adult was rewarded by another adult
2-Adult was told off for aggressive behaviour
3-Adult was not rewarded or punished
-One way mirror installed
What were the findings
1-Children behaved the most aggressively
2-Children behaved the least aggressively
Define self efficacy.
concerns the belief that particular outcomes or objectives can be achieved
Give a strength of SLT of aggression (empirical support)
-Further empirical support \
-Patterson et al
-Role models are important for the development of anti-social behaviour in both genders
-Parents are the most important role models
-Surveys/ questionnaires found trhat children who displayed high levels of aggression were raised in aggressive households, had little affection shown to them and little positive feedback
-Suggests that there is a wider academic credibility for the importance of the role played by parents when children are developing their behaviours
Give a strength of SLT (high reliability)
-High reliabilty
-Baanduras research was carried out predominantly in labs where there is complete control over the independent variable- whether there was positive/negative reinforcement and the dependent variable (the behaviour shown by the child)
-Suggests that the results would be the same if the study was carried out again
-However, lab studies tend to lack ecological valdity as the setting is highly controlled to limit extraneous variables which do not reflect the real world d so the findings cannot be generalised to everyday life
Give a weakness of SLT (reductionist)
-oversimplistic
-Does not take into account the influence of biological factors such as testosterone levels
-Testosterone is responsible for the regulation of males’ social behaviour, increased levels are associated with increased levels of aggression
-Serotonin is also a hormone that influences aggression levels
-Serotonin inhibits the amygdala which controls fear and other emotional responses, when serotonin levels are decreased aggression is increased as the amygdala cannot be inhibited
-SLT does not stress the importance of biological factors and relies on the environment and learning, so it is therefore reductionist when explaining aggressive behaviour
Give a weakness of SLT (unethical)
-Bandura’s research has ethical problems associated with it
-Morally wrong because the children viewed aggressive material which encouraged them to display the same aggressive behaviour as they had just witnessed
-This suggests that they were exploited
-However this has practical application, it is evidence for why we need age rating on TV shows and movies as children are likely to imitate behaviour that they see role models display