SLT Flashcards
What is the SLT?
Learning through observation and imitation
What was its origin?
Formed in 1971 by Albert Bandura
What is imitation?
term used to describe when an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it
What is identification?
Imitation more likely to happen if role model similar to observer
What is vicarious reinforcement?
imitation more likely to occur if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded rather than punished
What are the meditational processes?
Attention
Retention- behaviour must be remembered
Reproduction- physical ability
Motivation
What was the aim of the Bobo doll experiment in 1961?
To examine if the sex of the model influenced same-sex and opposite-sex participants to a differing degree
What was the method of the Bobo doll experiment?
Sample of 36 boys an 36 girls 3-6 from Stanford
Matched pairs design
6 boys 6 girls with female aggressive role model, 6 boys 6 girls with male aggressive role model, same with non aggressive role, 24 in control group
Children placed in room with aggressive/non aggressive toys for 20 minutes, observations made at 5 second intervals
What were the results of the Bobo doll experiment?
Aggressive behaviours in aggressive group, little aggressive behaviour in non aggressive group
Boys more likely to copy same sex model
Girls in aggressive group showed more physical aggression with male models and verbal aggression with female models
1/3 of models in aggressive group showed verbal aggression
What was the method for the 2nd Bobo doll experiment?
Reinforcement condition- model rewarded for aggression
Punishment condition- model punished for aggression
Control group
What were the results of the 2nd Bobo doll experiment?
Children in reward condition imitated more aggression
What are the strengths of the Bobo doll experiments?
Inter-rater reliability
Lab experiment- standardised, replicable
Matched pair- less participant variables, no order effects
What are the weaknesses of the Bobo doll experiments?
Unethical- teaching children aggression
Demand characteristics
Cultural bias- upper middle class white Americans
What are the strengths of the SLT?
Less deterministic than behaviourist
Can help explain cultural differences
Can help to explain criminal behaviour
Research support
What are the weaknesses of the SLT?
Underestimates influence of biological factors
Over reliance of lab studies- low ecological validity
