Approaches: Social Learning Theory (not done)

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 are the meditational processes of SLT?

Answer 3

• 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 4

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 4

• 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 5

Key research on SLT:

Answer 5

Bandura’s bobo dolls