Approaches In Psychology - Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What is social learning theory?

Answer 1

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct & indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors

Question 2

What is imitation?

Answer 2

Copying the behaviour of others

Question 3

What is modelling from the observer’s perspective?

Answer 3

Imitating the behaviour of a role model

Question 4

What is modelling from a role model?

Answer 4

Precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer

Question 5

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 5

Reinforcement which isn’t directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced (imitation-key)

Question 6

What are mediational processes?

Answer 6

Cognitive factors that influence learning & come between stimulus & response

Question 7

What are the assumptions of social learning theory?

Answer 7

Behaviour is learned from experience
Proposed people learn through observation & imitation of others
Suggests learning occurs directly through classical & operant conditioning

Question 8

What are the 4 mediational processes?

Answer 8

Attention
Retention
Motor reproduction
Motivation

Question 9

What is attention?

Answer 9

The extent to which we notice certain behaviours

Question 10

What is retention?

Answer 10

How well the behaviour is remembered

Question 11

What is motor reproduction?

Answer 11

The ability of the observer to perform the behaviour

Question 12

What is motivation?

Answer 12

The will to perform the behaviour (determined by reward/punishment)

Question 13

Who is more likely to imitate people they identify them?

Answer 13

Children

Question 14

Someone becomes a role model if they?

Answer 14

Possess similar characteristics to the observer
Are attractive
Have a high status

Question 15

Do role models have to be physically present in the environment?

Answer 15

No - the influence of media on behaviour

Question 16

What was Bandura’s key study for social learning theory?

Answer 16

The Bobo doll experiment

Question 17

What happened in the Bobo doll experiment?

Answer 17

Tested 36 boys & girls from the ages of 3-6 & then judged their aggressive behaviour on a 4 5-point rating scales and then matched the children on the basis of their everyday aggression (matched pairs). Then split them so 24 kids were shown an aggressive model, 24 were shown a non-aggressive model & 24 were shown no model. The 24 boys and girls were shown a male/female model behaving aggressively to a Bobo doll & the 24 boys & girls were shown a non aggressive model playing nicely. Each child was then taken into a room with aggressive toys & some non aggressive toys & were allowed in the room for 20 minutes & their behaviour was observed.

Question 18

What were the results of the Bobo doll study?

Answer 18

Children who observed the agressive model made for more imitative agressive responses than the children in the non-agressive & control group
Boys were more likely to imitate same-sex models than girls
Boys imitated more physically aggressive acts than girls

Question 19

What are the main advantages of the Bobo doll study?

Answer 19

All the variables than the IV were controlled so it can be said that the model did have an effect on the child’s behaviour
The experimental method allowed precise control of variables e.g. gender of the model/the behaviour of the model
Can be replicated - high reliability

Question 20

What are the limitations of the Bobo doll study?

Answer 20

Has low ecological validity as the interaction that occurred in the experiment wouldn’t happen in real life
Cumberbatch found that children who hadn’t played with a Bobo doll were 5x more likely to imitate the aggressive behaviour than ones who were familiar with- the novelty value makes it more likely that the aggressive behaviour would be imitated
The demonstrations are measured almost immediately so we don’t know if it has long term effects
Could be unethical - we don’t know if the children suffered any long-term consequences.

Question 21

What are the strengths of social learning theory?

Answer 21

Recognises & accepts the importance of cognitive factors in learning
Real-world application - can show cultural differences in behaviour & shows the influence of media on behaviour
Reciprocal determinism - we exert an influence onto our environment & are influenced by the environment - acknowledges free will

Question 22

What are the limitations of social learning theory?

Answer 22

References the the influence of biological factors on social learning too little - bandura’s theory may be a result of mirror neurones in the brain although he said learning was a result of the environment
Could be a high level of demand characteristics in the lab studies due to its contrived nature