Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Who developed the approach?
Albert Bandura
When?
1961
What study was it developed through?
The Bobo Doll Studies
How was it developed from behaviourism?
Bandura agreed behaviour was learnt from experience but propsed humans learn specifically through the observation and imitation of others.
What is observation and imitation?
It is watching how others behave and copying it
What are cognitive factors?
They mediate in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired.
Mediational processes in learning example
observed stimulus - 4 mediational process- resulting behaviour
what are the 4 mediational processes?
attention, retention (learning of behaviour) and motor reproduction and motivation (performance of behaviour)
what is attention?
the process by which we focus on a particular source of information rather than others)
What is retention ?
the ability to remember information
what is motor reproduction?
the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
what is motivation?
the will or desire to perform the behaviour often due to the consequenes of the behaviour; whether the model was punished or rewarded
what is identification?
humans are more likely to pay attention to and remember a behaviour if they identify with the person doing it, who is called a model
what is modelling?
modelling is the behaviour of the role model and also the process of imitating the model
what characteristrics influence our attention?
models of high status, attractive, competent or ones that remind us of ourselves
what is motivation determined by?
consequences of the behaviour; if the model was punished or rewarded
what is indirect learning?
when we learn by seeing someone ELSE be rewarded or punished rather than facing these consequences ourselves
what is vicarious reinforcement/punishment?
if we see the model be rewarded for their behaviour, we will imitate. if they are punished, we will lose the motivation to do so
what were the original Bobo Doll Studies?
bandura recorded behaviour of children aged 3-6 who either watched an adult attack a bobo doll or play with it peacefully. children exposed to the more aggressive model imitated the behaviour.
how were the children grouped?
a matched pairs design was used in which children were matched on how aggressive they were on a rating scale
later study?
group1- adults praised for behaviour
group2- adults punished
control grp- saw adults experience no consequence
strength of SLT?
supporting research from bobo doll studies. the young chidlren exposed to an adult displaying aggressive behaviour did imitate it.
a strength as it proves the accuracy- we do imitate behaviour
limitation of SLT?
lab study- artificial. not how we behave in real life. weakness because it reduces external validity.
