slt Flashcards
main assumption of slt
behaviour is learned from experience and the environment, and that people learn through observation and imitation of others
why is slt not strictly a behaviourist approach
it also considers cognitive processes
what are the 4 mediational processes
- attention
- retention
- reproduction
- motivation
attention
- the extent to which we notice the behaviour.
for behaviour to be imitated it has to grab our attention - it is pivotal in whether a behaviour has influence on other imitating it
retention
- how well the behaviour is remembered
- important that a memory of the behaviour is formed for it to be performed later by the observer
reproduction
- the ability of observer to perform the behaviour
- we are limited by our physical ability for that reason, even if we wish to reproduce the behaviour, we cannot
- this influences our decision.
motivation
- will to perform behaviour, reward and cost
- if the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs then the behaviour will be more likely to be imitated by the observer
identification
- people are more likely to imitate the behaviour of people with whom they identify with - role models
- people who they’re seen to possess similar characterises
what must happen for someone to identify with a model
observers must feel similar enough to them that they would be likely to experience the same outcome
bandura’s research
learning theorist, but not strictly a behaviourist as his theory also considers the thought processes that underlines our behaviour
what did he do (1961)
bandura et al recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards a bobo doll
bobo doll experiment
adult hit the doll with a hammer and shouted abuse
outcome of bobo doll experiment
when the children observed this they behaved much more aggressively than those who observed a non-aggressive adult
modelling
- observer perspective - imitation the behaviour of a role model
- role model perspective - modelling precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer
vicarious reinforcement
through observing someone else being rewarded for a behaviour
self efficiency
individuals belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviours
observation
watching the behaviour of a model
imitation
action of using someone as a model and copying behaviour
1961 Bandura aims
- examine the effect of the continual influence of the model
- examine if the sex of the model influenced same-sex and opposite sex participants
1961 Bandura procedure
- 36 male ans 36 female participants from 37 to 39 months
- two adults served the role of model. 8 experimental groups.
1/2 observed aggressive role model and the other non-aggressive. subdivided by gender. same sex and opposite sex. - participants put into a room one at a time and observed the role model’s behaviour. in the room was the bobo doll, hammer etc. aggressive model hit the bobo doll abuse like ‘punch him in the nose’
- witness behaviour for 10minutes then taken down the corridor to another room where they were told they couldn’t play with the toys. then went into a room where they could play.
- rom contained a range of toys, Bobo doll, mallet and ‘non-aggressive toys’. The participants were observed in the room for 20mins
1961 Bandura results
- found that those who observed aggressive behaviour acted more aggressively
- boys acted more aggressively than girls
- greater level of imitation between the same gender
1963 Bandura and Walters study
- they showed videos to children where an adult behaved aggressively towards the Bobo doll
- one group saw adults praised for their behaviour while another group saw the adults punished. third control group saw no consequences
1963 Bandura and Walters study outcome
- when given a Bobo doll to play with the first group showed much more aggression
- followed by third, then second
AO3 supporting empirical evidence for SLT by Bandura, Ross & Ross
E. found children who had observed an adult model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll behaved much more aggressively towards the doll than those children who had observed a non-aggressive adult model
C. this supports the social learning theory as it demonstrates that children learn aggressive behaviour through the observation and imitation of role models within their environment with whom they identify.
AO3 Bobo doll experiment has been criticised for lacking internal validity
E. possible children in Bandura’s studies were aware of what was expected of them. Nobel reports that one child arriving at the laboratory for the experiment said ‘look Mummy, there’s the doll we have to hit’ thus demonstrating demand characteristics.
C. therefore be argued that Bandura’s study lacks internal validity. may of instead been measuring how they thought the experimenter wanted them to behave.
this therefore reduces the validity of social learning theory and the main evidence with which it is based upon is flawed.
AO3 Bobo doll experiment criticised for being unethical
E. teaches and encourages children to behave aggressively.
observing aggression in an adult model may have been distressing
C. it could be argued that the child didn’t leave the experiment in the same psychological state as to when they entered. thus reducing the validity of SLT due to the unethical issues of the study
A03 strength of SLT is that it acknowledges the role of cognition in learning
E. Bandura argues that there is some though prior to imitation and this consideration is called meditational processes. This occurs between observing the behaviour and imitating it or not
C. SLT is therefore founded on soft determinism as it argues that imitation of behaviour is determined by the observation of models within our environment, however recognises the complexity of human behaviour and existence of free will claiming that we have the ability to think before deciding whether to imitate or not.
AO3 criticism of SLT is that it underestimates the influence of biological factors
E. Bandura makes little reference to the impact of biological factors on social learning. One consistent finding in the Bobo doll experiments was that boys were often more aggressive than girls regardless of the specifics of the experimental situation. This may be explained by hormonal factors, such as differences in testosterone.
C. this undermines SLT as this important biological influence on behaviour is not accounted for in SLT
AO3 one limitation of social learning theory is that is behaviourally determinsitc
E. SLT is suggesting that a child would passively absorb the observed aggressive behaviour and intimate it if it was seen to be rewarded rather than punished. For example, Bandura claims that the boy who observes his father attack his mother is more likely to become an abuse parent and husband.
C. this has implications for the criminal justice system as it questions whether those who are brought up in an aggressive environment should be help responsible for their actions or whether they do have free will to override this environmental force and make their own choices about their behaviour.
