Social learning explaination

Question 1

strength of social learning approach

Answer 1

1. research support
   - study by Smith and Lloyd (1978) involved babies aged 4-6 months who were dressed half the time in boy clothes and half the time in girl clothes
   - when observed interacting with adults babies assumed to be boys were more likely to be given told and encouraged to be adventurous and active
   - when the same babies were dressed as girls they were handed a doll and told they were pretty
   - suggests that gender appropriate behaviour is stamped at an early age though differential reinforcement
2. cultural changes
   - shift in social expectation and cultural norms has meant then new forms of gender behavoiur are now unlikely to be punished and may be reinforced
   - SLT can explain cultural changes in gender behavoiur

Question 2

limitation if SLT

Answer 2

1. no developmental sequence
   - modelling of gender appropriate behaviour can occur at age age
   - however it seems illogical to say that children who are 2 learn the same as those who are 9
   - this conflicts with kohlberg’s theory that children do not become active in their gender development until they reach gender constancy

Question 3

SLT

Answer 3

draws attention to the influence of the environment in shaping gender development

Question 4

direct reinforcement

Answer 4

• children are more likely to be reinforced for demonstrating behavoiur that is stereotypical gender appropriate.
• boys may be encouraged to be active assertive and engage in tough play
• girls are likely to be rewarded for being passive and gentle
• differential reinforcement - boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender appropriate behaviour

Question 5

indirect reinforcement

Answer 5

• the consequences of another behavoiur are favourable The behavior is more like o be imitated by a chile
• if a girl sees her mother receive a compliment for wearing makeup the girl may try to repeat the behavoiur

Question 6

identification and modelling

Answer 6

• the process where a child attaches himself to a person who is seen to be like them
• role models may be in a child environment or present within the media
• role models are attractive high status and the same gender as the child
• modelling is the precise demonstration of a behavior that is imitated by an observer

Question 7

mediational processes

Answer 7

1. attention
2. retention
3. motivation
4. motor reproduction