Approaches- Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What are the key assumptions of social learning theory
Behaviour is learned through observation and imitation
Mediating processes happen between stimulas and response
What is vicarious reinforcement
Imitation will occur if behaviour is rewarded than punished
What are the mediastinal processes
ARRM
A-ttention : did we notice the behaviour
R-etention : did we remember the behaviour
R-eproudction: can we do the behaviour
M- otivation : do we have the will to do it (has it been rewarded or punished)
What is the procedure of banduras bobo doll experiment
There was 72 children
1. Agressifs model was shown to 24 children
No model was shown to another 24
Non agressive model shown to another 24
- Children watched a male or female model behave aggressively towards bobo doll (they verbally attacked saying sock it and physically kicked, punched it, threw it up and down, used weapons etc
2- used as control group no model
3- non agressive model played quietly and ignored the bobo doll
Children were exposed to aggression arousal: told the experimenters best toys were for other children
Then child was in a room with agressive and non agressive toys and played with them for 20 minutes
How did the experimenters collect data on the children
They used covert observation
They observed the children through a two way mirror and tallied every time they saw a particular behaviour
What is a strength of a covert observation
Decreases the likelihood of demand characteristics
What is a limitation
Ethics : did the participant give informed consent
What were the findings of the bobo experiment
- Children who observed more aggrieved model were more agressive than control group
- Boys were more likely to imitate same sex models than girls
- Boys imitated more physically agressive acts than girls but no difference in verbal aggression
What are the advantages of banduras experiment
- Lab experiment so there was a high control of variables. So you manipulate variables to see how children would act in situations
- It had high reliability
- Established a cause and effect
What are the limitations of banduras study
Low ecological validity: child and model did not know each other. Usually we know the models.
Cumberbatch (1990) - children more likely to be agressive if they’ve never played with bobo doll before
Don’t know if single exposure has long term effects
Évaluation points of social learning theory
Strength: recognise cognitive factors (behaviourist theories don’t do that- more comprehensive explanation)
Counter point : does not take into account biological factors, like in his study were boys more aggressive because of testosterone (nature vs nurture)
Weakness- Lab study. Particpants may have responded to demand characteristics, (children may have responded as they were expected, so little info about aggression in real life)
Strength- Real world applications (tells us how cultural norms are distributed through society, increases the validity of the approach)
Limitation- reciprocal determinism. Bandura says we are influenced by environment but we have free will in whether we choose to imitate it
