Approaches: Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What are the assumptions of SLT?

Answer 1

similar to behaviourists: people are shaped by their environment through learning processes

Question 2

What is SLT?

Answer 2

• learning by observation and imitation
• connect the learning theory and the cognitive approach through meditational processes
• these meditational processes intervene in the learning process by determining whether a new behaviour is acquired
• this explains why we do not acquire all the behaviours we observe

Question 3

What is imitation?

Answer 3

a term used to describe the way in which an individual copies the behaviour of a role model

Question 4

What is identification?

Answer 4

involves internalising and adapting behaviours shown by a role model, because they have a quality the individual would like to possess

Question 5

What is modelling?

Answer 5

occurs when an observer imitates a role model, or when a person produces a specific behaviour (acting as a model) that may then be imitated

Question 6

What is vicarious reinforcement in terms of SLT?

Answer 6

when a learner has observed the consequences of a behaviour, they are more or less likely to imitate it depending on what those consequences were

Question 7

What are the meditational processes of SLT?

Answer 7

• ARMM
• A: attention - we must pay attention to what the model is doing
• R: retention - we must be able to remember what the model did (encode the information and form a memory)
• M: motor reproduction - we must have the skills to reproduce the behaviour the model performed
• M: motivation - we must have a reason to imitate the model - this is often vicarious reinforcement, but could also be because the observer identifies with the model (sees them as similar), as well as because the model has a high status and is deemed attractive (the observer wants to be them)

Question 8

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 8

• when the observer’s behaviour is more or less likely to be repeated based on the observed consequences of the model’s behaviour
• if the consequences cause the model to reinforce their behaviour, the observer is more likely to imitate them
• if the consequences cause the model to reduce their behaviour due to punishment, the observer is less likely to imitate them

Question 9

Key research on SLT:

Answer 9

Bandura’s bobo dolls

Question 10

Describe Bandura’s bobo doll study:

Answer 10

• A: to investigate how children imitate adult role models
• P: children were either shown an an adult model who was agressive towards the bobo doll, an adult model who was not agressive towards the bobo doll, or no adult model. they were then taken to a room containing a variety of toys, including a bobo doll. their play was then observed
• F: the children who observed an agressive adult model showed more agressive play, both verbally and physically, than those who were shown a non-agressive adult model
• C: agressive behaviour is learned through imitation of others behaving agressively
• it was also found that vicarious reinforcement and punishment influenced the likelihood of imitation

Question 11

Evaluation of Bandura’s bobo doll study:

Answer 11

• strength: practical applications - agressive children are raised in homes with high levels of aggression, as the children imitate the adult role models. therefore parents are informed of the importance of demonstrating pro-social behaviours in the prescence of children. the government could also reduce anti-social behaviour using SLT concepts in advers
• weakness: ethical issues of showing children aggressive behaviour
• weakness: there are other biological factors such testosterone that contribute to aggression