LS7 - Social Psychological Explanations - Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Behaviourist Approach
Aggression can be learnt through operant conditioning (+/- reinforcements).
Social Learning Theory
Observational learning, children learn through imitation, as aggressive acts by a role model will be internalised for the future.
Vicarious Reinforcement
If the aggressive behaviour is rewarded, then the child learns they’ll be able to get what they want/
5 Main Factors
Attention
Retention
Motor-Reproduction
Motivation
Self-Efficacy - They must believe their behaviour will attain a goal.
Best Role Models
The best role models are parents, the boy who watches their father be abusive towards their mother is more likely to be abusive in the future.
Best Role Models
The best role models are parents, the boy who watches their father be abusive towards their mother is more likely to be abusive in the future.
Strengths (+)
Bandura Film Study
Practical Application
Weaknesses (-)
Underestimates Biological Factors
Not As Simple As Stated
Doesn’t Explain Reactive Aggression
Bandura Film Study (+)
4 conditions - Live aggressive model, Filmed model, Cartoon model and a control group. 96 3-5 children were matched for baseline aggression levels and allowed to play with a Bobo model whilst their aggressive counts were counted. Cartoon model was highest and the control group was lowest.
Practical Application (+)
We can reward non-aggressive role model, as the main basis of their imitation is the aggressive model being rewarded. Those non-aggressive role models will automatically role model for other yutes.
Underestimates Biological Factors (-)
Genes and hormonal factors can be more aggressive, it’s instinctive so more based on biology as opposed to environment, meaning stuff like test could be more powerful than social learning.
Not As Simple As Stated (-)
Research has shown that aggression was very rare in the Kung San desert society - parents don’t use physical punishment and there is no value placed on aggressive behaviour, which makes us question whether the social learning theory is only applicable to western cultures
Doesn’t Explain Reactive Aggression (-)
When aggression is carried out as a reaction to an external stimulus such as jealous, pain or loneliness, this may be better explained by the frustration-aggression hypothesis rather than as a result of observational learning as proposed by social learning theory.
