Social learning Theories AO1

Question 1

Paragraph 1 - social learning theory. How can social learning theory explain criminal behaviour? - point

Answer 1

Social learning theory can explain criminal behaviour by the individual observing criminal behaviour of a role model and then imitating it.

Question 2

Paragraph 1 - Intro to social learning theory. What is social learning theory?

Answer 2

Social learning theories are psychosocial explanations of criminal behaviour a they consider the external influences of family, friends and role models on an individual carrying out criminal behaviour. Our beliefs and attitudes can be heavily influenced by the people we socialise with. Differential Association theory argues that criminal behaviour is learned from our social groups - Nurture not nature

Question 3

Paragraph 1 - social learning theory. What is the evidence for Social Learning Theory? (ARRM)

Answer 3

Bandura states that the individual must pay Attention to the criminal behaviour, Retain the criminal behaviour, Reproduce the criminal behaviour observed and Motivated to imitate the criminal behaviour. This happens through operant conditioning where a behaviour is more likely to be imitated if the reinforcement of the observed behaviour has value for the observer. If the person is punished then imitation becomes less likely. Motivation to reproduce the behaviour can be from direct reinforcement or from vicarious reinforcement, seeing the model benefit from the criminal behaviour

Question 4

Paragraph 1 - social learning theory. What does this demonstrate?

Answer 4

This demonstrates that criminal behaviour is more likely to be developed through the imitation of that criminal behaviour if the reinforcement for that behaviour has value for the observer