Learning Approaches - Social Learning Theory

Question 1

Social Learning Theory: Key Assumptions

Answer 1

1) Behaviour is learnt from the environment (genetic influences are disregarded)
2) Behaviour is learnt from observing others and the reinforcement or punishment they receive
3) Behaviour that is observed being rewarded, is imitated

Unlike the Behaviourist Approach, Social Learning Theory considers cognitive processes and views humans as active information processors, rather than passive learners (SLT is less reductionist and deterministic).

Question 2

Modelling

Answer 2

Modelling: a form of learning
individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual perform that behaviour (a role model) and later imitating it.

Question 3

Imitation

Answer 3

Imitation: the action of copying an observed behaviour.

Question 4

Identification

Answer 4

Identification: the extent to which an individual relates to a model and feels that he/she is similar (e.g. same gender) or wishes to be like them.
Identification = more likely to imitate behaviour

Question 5

Vicarious Reinforcement

Answer 5

Vicarious Reinforcement: observing the positive consequences of a model’s behaviour i.e. him/her receiving a reward, making imitation more likely.

Question 6

Mediational Processes

Answer 6

Mediational Processes: internal mental (thought) processes that exist between observing a behaviour (stimulus) and imitating it or not (response): Attention; Retention; Reproduction; Motivation.

Question 7

Bandura (1977) documented 4 mediational processes:

Answer 7

1) Attention – closely observe the behaviour of the model
2) Retention – forming a memory of the behaviour observed
3) Reproduction – thinking if it is physically possible to imitate the behaviour
4) Motivation – if the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs (outcome expectancies), then the individual is more motivated to imitate the behaviour

Question 8

The Bobo Doll Experiment
Bandura et al. (1961)
Aim

Answer 8

Aim: - To examine the role of a model on influencing aggressive behaviour in children.
- To examine if the gender of the model influenced same gender and opposite gender children to a differing degree

Question 9

The Bobo Doll Experiment
Bandura et al. (1961)
Procedure

Answer 9

Procedure: Controlled observation (observation conducted under laboratory conditions) – 36 boys and 36 girls, aged 3-6 years.

Stage 1: Modelling
i) ½ the children were put into a room (one at a time) and observed an aggressive role model (either same or opposite sex) for 10 minutes i.e. hitting the doll with a hammer, throwing it in the air, shouting “Pow”
ii) ½ the children observed a non-aggressive role model (either same or opposite sex).

Stage 2: Mild Aggression Arousal
Children were shown attractive toys that they weren’t allowed to play with.

Stage 3: Test for Delayed Imitation
Children were taken to a room with a range of toys, including the Bobo doll, a mallet, a dart gun, dolls, crayons (aggressive and non-aggressive toys).
- Their behaviour was observed for 20 minutes and rated for the extent that they imitated the model.

Question 10

Bandura used a.…

Answer 10

Matched Pairs Design:
Participants in the experimental and control groups were matched individually on the basis of ratings of their aggressive behaviour in social interactions in the nursery school.

Question 11

Results and Conclusion:

Answer 11

1) Children who observed the aggressive model displayed far more imitative aggressive responses than children in the non-aggressive condition.
2) Boys acted more aggressively than girls
3) There was a greater level of imitation if the role model was the same gender as the child (evidence for identification).

Conclusion: There is a an effect on behaviour from observing an aggressive model and this behaviour continues after a delay.

Question 12

Ethical Issues in Bandura’s Research
Psychological harm

Answer 12

The children may have been distressed by the aggressive behaviour they witnessed.
The aggressive behaviour they learnt from the study may have stayed with them, potentially leading to behavioural problems.
Participants are supposed to leave a study in the same state they entered it, which may not have happened here. This is an example of what theBPS Code of Ethicscalls “normalising unhelpful behaviours”.

Question 13

Ethical Issues in Bandura’s Research
Consent

Answer 13

Although the children could not give consentto take part, their nursery teachers agreed and it is assumed the children’s parents agreed too; this ispresumptive consent.
No effort seems to have been made todebriefthe children afterwards (by explaining that the aggressive adults were only pretending).

Question 14

Ethical Issues in Bandura’s Research
Right to withdraw

Answer 14

The children could notwithdrawfrom the study – they were unaware of their right to

Question 15

Bandura would argue that….

Answer 15

…thebenefits to societyoutweighed therisksto any of the children.
His research has shown us the influence that role models have on aggressive behaviour, especially role models on TV and film. This has been an important contribution to the debate over censorship in TV, films, videos and games.

Question 16

Bandura’s findings may lack ecological validity.

Answer 16

The situation involves the child and an adult model, which is a very limited social situation - there is no interaction between the child and the model at any point.
The model and the child are strangers. This is quite unlike ‘normal’ modelling, which often takes place within the family.
Aggression was not observed towards another human, but a Bobo doll.
It is not normal for children to see an adult attacking a toy and saying things like “Sock him on the nose!”
This makes it difficult to generalise the findings to everyday situations.

Question 17

 The findings may lack population validity

Answer 17

It may be difficult to generalise the findings from children toadults. This might not matter ifallof our important behaviour is learned in childhood
However, the studies may not tell us much about how adults learn new behaviour because adults might be less influenced by role models.

Question 18

The findings may lack internal validity

Answer 18

A Bobo Doll is designed to be hit and knocked over (it bounces back upright); children may have assumed that the experimenters wanted them to play with the Bobo Doll in this way.
Therefore, the children may have been responding to demand characteristics – the children were simply behaving in a way they thought was expected.

Question 19

P: Unlike the behaviourist approach (classical and operant conditioning) social learning theory acknowledges the role of thought (mediational) processes in learning behaviour.

Answer 19

E: It assumes that observational learning could not occur without cognitive processes. These cognitive factors mediate the learning process to determine whether a behaviour is retained and reproduced - individuals do not passively observe and imitate the behaviour of a model, there is some conscious thought prior to imitation (suggesting an element of free will).

C: Therefore, SLT provides a less reductionist and deterministic explanation of human learning than behaviourism.

+: BUT, cognitive processes i.e. thoughts, are not directly observable (they are inferred), unlike behaviour, so it is therefore difficult to take a scientific approach in assessing their role in social learning i.e. they are difficult to measure objectively and empirically.

Question 20

P: Social Learning Theory is supported by research evidence

Answer 20

E: Bandura found that children who observed an adult role model behave in an aggressive (both physical and verbal) way towards a Bobo doll displayed far more imitative aggressive responses than children who had been exposed to a non-aggressive role model. Bandura also found that there was a greater level of imitation if the role model was the same gender as the child, which provides evidence for identification.

C: This supports Social Learning Theory because Bandura successfully demonstrated the acquisition of aggressive behaviour amongst children as a result of observing an aggressive role model and how this behaviour is imitated after a delay.

+: However, this study could be criticised in that the effects of social learning were only shown in the short-term. Furthermore, the children may have responded to demand characteristics in that they thought they were supposed to copy the actions of the adult model. The Bobo doll is also designed to be hit, which could have elicited aggressive behaviour, as opposed to it being learnt, which therefore undermines the validity of the research.

Question 21

P: Real-life application: The approach can successfully explain the initiation of certain behaviours as well as cultural differences in behaviour.

Answer 21

E: For example, it could explain why someone might start to smoke as a result of exposure to role models e.g. peers who smoke and who might receive praise for this behaviour (vicarious reinforcement).
It can also explain how children learn from those around them, as well as through the media, providing an understanding of how cultural norms are transmitted through societies.

C: The principles of social learning have therefore been usefully applied to increase our understanding of many areas of human behaviour (e.g. addiction, gender role) and could in theory be applied to change health-related behaviours e.g. the media could present positive role models similar to the target audience to bring about identification.

Question 22

However, SLT is not a full explanation for all behaviour.
It is difficult to explain how behaviour was acquired where there is no apparent role model – it might be that it is innate rather than learnt

Answer 22

Therefore, there is a causality problem with the Social Learning Theory…
For example, the cause of delinquency may not be a result of exposure to deviant role models. Rather, young people who possess deviant values/attitudes might seek out peers with similar attitudes/behaviours instead (Siegel & McCormick, 2006).
Hormonal factors might also play a role, such as differences in levels of testosterone (which might explain why boys were consistently more aggressive than girls in the Bobo doll experiments).
This therefore suggests that nature has a part to play and might influence nurture.

Question 23

What does ARRM stand for

Answer 23

Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation