Lesson 7 SLT Flashcards
What did bandura propose
That aggression can be learnt through observational learning. SLT says that children learn through a process of imitation. Aggressive acts demonstrated by a model will be internalised and reproduced in the future. As well as that I’d the models behaviour is rewarded, the child can also learn the behaviour through this way (vicarious reinforcement)
What are the five cognitive factors involved that mediate the control of aggressive behaviour
Attention - child must pay attention to an act of aggression from a model.
Retention - to model the behaviour, it needs to be placed on LTM, allowing the behaviour to be retrieved.
Motor Reproduction - individual must be physically able to carry out the behaviour. I.e. blud can’t fly if they watch a superhero.
Motivation - an individual then must be expecting to receive positive reinforcement for the modelled behaviour. Doesn’t have to be materialistic, can be things like higher status etc…
Self Efficacy - individuals must believe their behaviour will attain a goal. If they believe their response is an appropriate action it will reach their goal
Who are children most likely to model from
Their parents - children learn most of the behaviour from them. If a boy watches his father beat his wife, then he is more likely to become an abusive parent
Role models in the media also provide a source of vicarious reinforcement which can lead to aggressive behaviour being replicated
What was bandura study
1)A male and female adult role model behaving aggressively towards a BOB doll
2)A male and female adult role model not behaving aggressively towards a BOBO doll
3) Control group where the children did not observe any adult role model
Next, all the children (in the three conditions) were taken to a room one by one where they were exposed to attractive toys but were told that they could not play with them (to induce mild frustration)
Finally, all children were taken one by one in a room and were allowed to play with toys including the BOBO doll.
The Findings showed that those children who had seen the adult role model behaving aggressively towards the BOBO doll also copied that behaviour.
This study therefore supports the SLT.
Strengths
Hella research support - bandura did a number of studies in America that support the role of social learning and aggressive behaviour. He conducted one study with experimental 3 conditions. In one condition there was a filmed aggressive role model. In another there was an aggressive cartoon model and in the third there was a live aggressive model. 96 children aged 3-5 were matched for baseline aggression and allowed to play with a bobo doll for a certain amount of time. Their aggressive behaviours were counted. The cartoon model produced the highest number of aggressive acts - supporting the fact that if they see a model they identify with then they Cuzza anger
It also has practical applications to reduce aggression - one way to reduce aggression is the provide rewarded non aggressive role models. The same learning processes that can then lead to aggressive behaviour also produces now non aggression. I.e. presenting them with non aggressive media characters gives them more opportunities to model non aggressive behaviour. SLT can be used to reduce the development of aggressive behaviour
Weakness
Underestimates influence of biological factors that could be more powerful in explaining aggression such as genes or hormones. Research has shown that aggressive is very instinctive and based on biology much more heavily compared to the environment. I.e. the role of testosterone has a bigger impact on aggression than SLT
Finally SLT can be used to explain some forms of aggression; however, reactive aggression is much harder to explain within SLT. When aggression is carried out as a reaction to an external stimulus such as jealousy, pain or loneliness, this may be better explained by the frustration aggression hypothesis rather than as a result of observational learning
