Paper 2 - Approaches - SLT

Question 1

What is SLT?

Answer 1

Social learning theory is a way of explaining behaviours that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement which combined learning theory with the role of cognitive factors

Question 2

What is the study that is associated with SL?
State the researcher name

Answer 2

Bandura

Question 3

When was Bandura’s study?

Answer 3

1961

Question 4

What is the method of Bandura’s study?

Answer 4

36 girls and 36 boys with a mean age of 52 months took part in the study. The study had a match participant design (children were matched on ratings of aggressive behaviour shown at their nursery school) and had three conditions.
In the first condition, children observed aggressive adult models playing with a Bobo doll (an inflatable figure with a weight in the bottom)- e.g. hitting it with a mallet.
In the second condition, children observed non-aggressive models playing with other toys and ignoring the Bobo doll.
In the third condition was a control condition in which children had no exposure to the models. The children’s behaviour was observed for 20 minutes in a room containing aggressive toys (for example, a Bobo doll and a mallet) and non-aggressive toys (for example, a tea set and crayons).

Question 5

What were the results of Bandura’s study?

Answer 5

Children exposed to aggressive models imitated a lot of their aggressive behaviour.
Children in the non-aggressive and controlled condition showed barely any aggressive behaviour.
Aggressive behaviour was slightly higher in the control condition than in the non-aggressive condition.

Question 6

What was the conclusion of Bandura’s study?

Answer 6

Aggressive behaviour is Learned through imitation of others behaving aggressively.

Question 7

What are the positive evaluations of Bandura’s study?

Answer 7

The study provides evidence for social learning theory. There was strict control of the variable, meaning that the results are likely to be reliable and the study can be replicated.

Question 8

What are the negative evaluations of Bandura’s study?

Answer 8

It has low ecological validity because the participants were not in a natural situation. It is also difficult to generalise the results because a limited sample was studied- the children were all from the same school.
The study encouraged aggression in children- this could be an ethical problem.

Question 9

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 9

The theory that we learn through watching others which often leads to imitation

Question 10

What needs to be true for vicarious reinforcement to happen?

Answer 10

It will only happen if behaviour. Is seen to be rewarding (a lot of the time it is unconsciously rewarding)

Question 11

What are the 4 meditational processes of SLT?

Answer 11

Attention
Retention
Motor reproduction
Motivation

Question 12

Explain the meditational process: Attention

Answer 12

The extent to which we notice certain behaviours

Question 13

Explain the meditational process: Retention

Answer 13

How the individual remembers what they have observed

Question 14

Explain the meditational process: Motor Reproduction

Answer 14

The individual replicated the behaviour shown by the model

Question 15

Explain the meditational process: Motivation

Answer 15

The individual seeks to demonstrate the behaviour that they have observed

Question 16

What is the difference between symbolic models and line models?

Answer 16

Line models are real people BUT symbolic models aren’t real (eg book characters)

Question 17

What are the positive evaluations of SLT?

Answer 17

Real world applications
SLT shows the importance of cognitive factors in learning
Cultural differences
SLT is less deterministic

Question 18

What are the negative evaluations of SLT?

Answer 18

Demand characteristics
Reductionist approach

Question 19

Explain the positive evaluation of SLT: Real world applications?

Answer 19

Akers(1998) suggested that someone is more likely to commit a crime if they saw someone else committing a crime
SLT could lead to methods to reduce crime

Question 20

Explain the positive evaluation of SLT: SLT shows the importance of cognitive factors in learning

Answer 20

CC and OC can’t explain learning on its own
But meditational processes help a lot with explaining how we learn

Learn here is more about socially learning
Not academic

Question 21

Explain the positive evaluation of SLT: Cultural differences

Answer 21

It is biased towards western culture

The Tchambuil - women were more dominant and men were less responsible but more emotional dependent on the women
The Arapesh is an example of a non aggressive culture in which aggression is not admired therefore there is less aggression

Question 22

Explain the positive evaluation of SLT: SLT is less deterministic

Answer 22

(Than the behavioural approach)
Bandura emphasises reciprocal determinism
Bandura showed that we are influenced by our external environment and that we exert our own influence upon it through the behaviours we choose to perform

Question 23

Explain the negative evaluation of SLT: Demand Characteristics

Answer 23

The children in the Bandura study may have been exhibiting demand characteristics

Question 24

Explain the negative evaluations of SLT: Reductionist Approach

Answer 24

SLT is very basic cause and effect theory

SLT ignores biological explanations