Approaches (AS): Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Bandura agreed with the behaviourist approach; however, he proposed a different mechanism than conditioning.
What is this?
that we learn through observation and imitation of others’ behaviour
What are the basic assumption of SLT?
Learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning but also indirectly (vicariously)
Learning occurs through observation and imitation of others
What are mediational processes?
mental (cognitive) factors that intervene in the learning process to determine whether a new behaviour is acquired or not.
What are the 4 mediational processes?
- Attention
- Retention
- Motor Reproduction
- Motivation
What is identification?
internalising and adopting behaviours shown by a role model, because they have a quality the individual would like to possess
What is modelling?
when an observer imitates a role model, or when a person produces a specific behaviour that may then be imitated e.g. completing chores
What is Bandura’s Bobo Doll Study
a controlled experiment study to investigate if social behaviours (i.e., aggression) can be acquired by observation and imitation.
What is the conclusion of the Bobo Doll Study?
Bobo doll experiment proved that children are able to learn social behaviour such as aggression through the process of observation learning, through watching the behaviour of another person.
What are the advantages of the SLT?
Provides insight into how people learn from others and provides ideas for including effective elements into your scenarios
Unlike operant conditioning theory, it can explain aggressive behaviour in the absence of direct reinforcement.
This theory can explain differences in aggressive and non-aggressive behaviour both between and within individuals.
What are the disadvantages of the SLT?
- Does not tell us why a child would be motivated to perform the same behaviours in the absence of the model.
- Ethical issues make it difficult to test SLT experimentally. This is because exposing children to aggressive behaviour with the knowledge that they may reproduce it in their own behaviour raises ethical issues concerning the need to protect participants from psychological and physical harm.
It is difficult to test experimental hypotheses about the social learning of aggressive behaviour in children and consequently difficult to establish the scientific credibility of the theory by this means
What is meant by motivation?
The expected reward of imitation must be appealing enough and exceed the cost. The more positive and desirable a consequence, the more likely someone will adopt a new behaviour
What is meant by motor reproduction?
To imitate a behaviour, we must also be able to perform it.
What is meant by retention?
We can imitate a behaviour only if we remember it. It is necessary to observe a behaviour often and possibly apply it us to form a clear memory.
What is meant by attention?
For us to imitate behaviour, we must first notice it. It must therefore be something that stands out from the mass of our surroundings.
When was the Bobo Doll Study conducted?
1961 and repeated in 1963
