Social Learning Explanation

Question 1

Define Social Learning Theory:

Answer 1

Way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors

Question 2

According to SLT how do we learn?

Answer 2

• observation
• Models as a guidance on how to act and then imitate the behaviours observed
• vicarious reinforcement

Question 3

Define vicarious reinforcement:

Answer 3

Observe others and learning the consequence of an others behaviour. If favourable more likely to imitate the behaviour

Question 4

Define Modelling:

Answer 4

A role model gives an example of attitude/behaviour to be imitated

Question 5

Define imitation:

Answer 5

Child copies the role model

Question 6

Does the environment of a child have an importance on the shaping of gender development?

Answer 6

Yes

Question 7

Define positive reinforcement:

Answer 7

Anything that strengthens behaviour because it is rewarding to the learner

Question 8

Define negative reinforcement:

Answer 8

Anything that strengthens behaviour because it removes something unpleasant

Question 9

What are the four cognitive process in mediation process?

Answer 9

• Attention
• Retention
• Reproduction
• Motivation

Question 10

What is mediational processes?

Answer 10

A cognitive process that is central to the learning of gender behaviour

Question 11

What is the attention and what is a part of?

Answer 11

• The behaviour needs to be modelled by someone that one wants to imitate
• Mediational Processes

Question 12

What is the retention and what is a part of?

Answer 12

• The modelled behaviour needs to be remembered

- Mediational Processes

Question 13

What is the reproduction and what is a part of?

Answer 13

• Try out the behaviour. Need to believe that you are capable of copying the behaviour
• Mediational Processes

Question 14

What is the motivation and what is a part of?

Answer 14

• There needs to be a reason to repeat the behaviour, either because it is someone that you admire or because the modelled behaviour was rewarded in some way.
• Mediational Processes

Question 15

Which stages of the mediational process is learning?

Answer 15

• Attention

- Retention

Question 16

Which stages of the medicational process is performance?

Answer 16

• Reproduction

- Motivation

Question 17

If a behaviour is repeated often enough it becomes …

Answer 17

internalised (part of the individual’s personality)

Question 18

SLT believes gender to be a …

Answer 18

social construct

Question 19

Why is gender a social construct?

Answer 19

Modified by behaviours depending on our age, social situation

Question 20

Method of Smith and Lloyd (1978):

Answer 20

4-6 month old babies who (irrespective of their actual sex) were dressed half the time in boys’ clothes and half the time girls’ clothes

Question 21

Does Smith and Lloyd (1978) support SLT?

Answer 21

Yes, as gender-appropriate behaviour is stamped in at early age through differential reinforcement

Question 22

Findings of Smith and Lloyd (1978):

Answer 22

• The ‘boys’ were given ‘boy-appropriate’ toys and encouraged to be active and adventurous.
• The girls were given ‘girl-appropriate’ toys and were told they were ‘pretty’; they were also reinforced for being passive

Question 23

Idle et al(1993)

Answer 23

Fathers want their sons to play with masculine toys, mothers don’t worry about it so much

Question 24

Fagot (1985)

Answer 24

Peers more critical of boys being feminine than girls being masculine.

Question 25

McGhee and Frueh (1980)

Answer 25

Found that people who view a lot of television have stronger gender stereotypes than people who view little

Question 26

Eccles (1987)

Answer 26

Teachers praise boys for being clever and girls for being tidy.

Question 27

Pfost & Fiore (1990)

Answer 27

Found that women in traditionally masculine occupations were evaluated more negatively than men in traditionally feminine occupations

Question 28

Limitation of SLT - not a developmental theory

Answer 28

• Not provide an adequate explanation of how learning processes change with age.
• Some age limitations within the theory, e.g. motor reproduction as a mediational process suggest that children may struggle to perform behaviours if they are not physically or intellectually capable.

Question 29

SLT comparisions with biological approach

Answer 29

SLT places little emphasis on the influence of genes and chromosomes and only considers the role of the environment. David Reimer’s case demonstrated that it was not possible to override chromosomal influence.

Question 30

How would we explain if biological and social learning theory were fused together?

Answer 30

Perhaps a biosocial approach is more appropriate - innate biological differences that are reinforced through social interaction and cultural expectations