Approaches - Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What are the 3 assumptions of the Social learning theory?

Answer 1

1. Our behaviour is learned from the experience and our environment and people learn by observing people as well as punishment and reinforcement that other people recieve.
2. Learning occurs directly through conditioning and indirectly, vicarious conditioning. Mediational processes also are essential for learning. They only study human learning
3. Scientific lab experiments are used to study behaviour in an objective way

Question 2

Explain modelling

Answer 2

• For learning to take place, someone must carry out the behaviour or attitude to be learned
• The individual who performs this role is called a model
• Live model: parent or teacher
• Symbolic model: someone portrayed in the media like an actress
• Models provide examples of behaviour that can be observed and then later imitated

Question 3

Explain identification

Answer 3

• The extent to which an individual relates to a model and wants to be like them
• More likely to happen if the individual feels they and the rolemodel are similar (sex)
• If an individual can identify with the model, they are more likely to imitate their behaviour

Question 4

Explain imitation

Answer 4

• Much of what children learn is through imitation of attitudes and behaviours modelled by parent
• Factors that determine whether a behaviour is imitated: - characteristics of model - observer’s ability to perform that behaviour - consequences of that behaviour

Question 5

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 5

• Reinforcement that is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced
• An individual who observes a model being positively reinforced is more likely to want to imitate their behaviour
• People observe the consequences of behaviour experienced by models and then make judgements to the likelyhood of experiencing the outcomes themselves

Question 6

Explain the role of mediational processes

Answer 6

• These processes lie between the stimulus and response and allow us to be able to think about what we are going to do before we do it
  1. Attention - In order to learn we must first notice someone (model) in their environment and pay attention to what they’re doing (learning behaviour)
  2. Retention - Individual must remember what they’ve observed (learning behaviour)
  3. Motor reproduction - Observer must know they have the ability to perform the behaviour (performing behaviour)
  4. Motivation - Individual must have a reason to demonstrate the behaviour they’ve observed (performing behaviour)

Question 7

Descibe how the SLT do research

Answer 7

• They use lab experiments for investigating observational learning
• Research done on people, not animals
• Much research focused on agression and how children learnt to be aggressive

Question 8

Explain Bandura’s study
1961

Answer 8

• Aim: An experiment with young children from USA to demonstrate observational learning
• Method: Group A: Children were in a room one at a time with an adult who behaved aggressively towards a bobo doll. The adult hit it with a hammer and shouted at it. Group B: Children were in a room one at a time with a non aggressive adult who reacted in a non aggressive way towards the bobo doll. Then, each child was put into a room with a bobo doll and hammer and researchers recorded the number of aggressive behaviours each child made towards the doll.
• Results: More aggressive acts were recorded for the children who observed the aggressive adult and boys were more aggressive than girls
• Conclusion: Exposure to a model behaving aggressively results in observational learning and aggressive behaviour

Question 9

Explain the 2 positive evaluations of the research methods used by SLT

Answer 9

• Lab studies have tight control over all variables and eliminate extraneous variables. In Bandura’s study, all variables were kept the same: the same adult hit the doll. This is a strength because it means cause and effect can be established between the IV (behaviour of rolemodel) and DV (behaviour of children)
• Lab studies adopt a standardised procedure so it can be replicated. Bandura’s study was standardised which meant the procedure could be repeated exactly again to test the impact of observation on imitation of aggressive behaviour. This is a strength because it’s posible to check if findings are reliable.

Question 10

Explain 2 negative evaluations of the research methods used by SLT

Answer 10

• Lab experiments are carried out in artificial settings with artificial scenarios. In Bandura’s study it’s not an every day situation that a child sees an adult being aggressive to a doll. This is a weakness because it’s questionable whether we can apply findings to real life everyday behaviour and it might not represent how children observe and imitate agression in everyday life. The study lacks ecological validity. (Lack of generalisation)
• Using human participants, there may be a possibility that they work out the aim of the study. (Demand characteristics). In Bandura’s study children were 3-8 years of age and there’s a possibility that the older children may have worked out the aim of the study and shown please you/ screw you behaviour. This is a weakness because they may attempt to demonstrate the behaviour they think the researcher wants to see and it will reduce the internal validity of the research.

Question 11

Explain the 2 positive evaluations of the SLT

Answer 11

• The social learning theory is** less deterministic** than the behaviourist approach. It suggests that when a person observes a behaviour, they have mental processes that allow them to choose whether they imitate observed behaviour. This is a strength as the theory says behaviour isn’t entirely determined and that humans have free will.
• The social learning theory has real life applications. Social learning theory can be used to explain how children develop aggressive behaviour or gender stereotypical behaviour. These behavioures are modelled by same sex role models and then imitated by children. This is a strength to learn behaviours from role models as parents may use the theory to ensure they don’t get exposed for negative behaviours and they can try and ensure their children don’t get exposed to negative behaviour.

Question 12

Explain 2 negative evaluations of SLT

Answer 12

• The SLT approach is an oversimplification of human behaviour. It only considers factors relating to the environment. Bandura make little refrence to the impact of biological factors on behaviour. This is a weakness because biological research shows differences in aggression between sexes and it may be explained by the hormone of testosterone.
• SLT argues mediational processes are involved in human behaviour however we can’t see or measure them. SLT argues thought processes lie inbetween the stimulus and response however the SLT doesn’t attempt to explain cognitive processes in detail or how they work. This is a weakness because mediational processes have to be inferred which means we can’t measure the true extent of their influence. (Difficulties measuring cognitive factors)