Approaches - Social Learning Theory (SLT) Flashcards
According to SLT, where does learning take place?
Takes place in a social context due to exposure to other behaviour
Give examples of who might model behaviour
real people (live models)
TV and movie characters (symbolic models)
Explain ‘identification’
Characteristics of models influence the likelihood of imitation behaviours. This is why we are more likely to imitate behaviour of models we relate to.
Explain ‘reinforcement’
Behaviours are likely to be repeated if they are directly rewarded or if a model is observed being rewarded. This is vicarious reinforcement
When is a behaviour less likely to be repeated?
If it is directly punished or if a model is observed being punished (vicarious punishment)
Name the 4 main mediational factors
Attention, Retention, Motivation, Reproduction
How is attention a mediational process?
In order to learn, observers need to have paid attention to the modelled behaviour
How is retention a mediational process?
The observer must be able to remember the observed behaviour. Some behaviours are very complex and may not be able to be retained
How is motivation a mediational process?
Anticipated rewards or punishments can influence if the observer decides to reproduce the behaviour
How is reproduction a mediational process?
The observer needs to believe that they are able to reproduce the behaviour in order to imitate it. They may not be due to a lack of skill or resources.
Describe Bandura’s procedure
72x 3-5 year old children either watched a film of an adult attacking a bobo doll (hitting/punching/kicking), playing neutrally with the bobo doll or a no model control group.
The children’s aggression was measured before the study and the creations of the groups followed a matched pairs design. All children were given ‘‘mild aggression arousal’’ by being placed in a room with nice toys they couldnt play with before bobo room.
What were the findings of Bandura’s bobo doll study?
The children who observed the adult playing aggressively imitated aggressive behaviours. The neutral group were not aggressive. This effect was stronger if the children had observed the same gender suggesting identification.
Explain the vicarious reinforcement variation of the bobo doll study
Children who observed adults being rewarded (praised) for their aggressive behaviour were more likely to imitate the behaviour than those who observed adults punished.
Weaknesses of SLT?
- SLT has difficulty demonstrating cause and effect -although Bandura’s research controlled variables and demonstrated behaviour was imitated it is difficult to show cause and effect in real life.
- SLT can explain the display of basic learnt behaviours, but not more abstract concepts that humans learn such as justice
- SLT sees behaviour as environmentally determined but some behaviours may be innate and better explained by biological explanations.
Strengths of SLT?
+ SLT theorists focus on human traits of consciousness and rationality. This can’t be demonstrated with animal research as it shows the influence of mediational processes on learning which is neglected by behaviourists.
