Social learning theory Flashcards
What is the social learning theory?
The social learning theory (SLT) is where learning happens directly through classical and operant conditioning and indirectly through vicarious reinforcement. Unlike the behaviourist approach the SLT recognises the importance of cognitive processing and mediational processes, rejecting the idea that learning is purely the outcome of a stimulus response loop.
In order for learning to happen someone must model a behaviour, if the person observing the behaviour sees the person as a role model they will identify with them.
What is a role model?
A person the observer identifies with. The role model is usually attractive, has a high social status, is of similar age and the same gender t observer. This model can exert influence indirectly by not being physically present for example in the media.
What is identification?
It involves associating with the role models qualities and values to become more like them. There is evidence to suggest that for children, age and gender similarity to role models are an important determinant for imitation.
What is SLT defined by?
By four distinct mental processes: attention, retention, motivation, reproduction.
If these are implemented, imitation can take place if the observed behaviour is rewarded then imitation is likely to happen. This learning is what Bandura called vicarious reinforcement.
What is attention?
The individual needs to pay attention to the behaviour and its consequences and from a mental representation of the behaviour.
What is retention?
Storing the observed behvaiour in Long term memory where it can stay for a long period of time. Imitation is not always immediate.
What is reproduction?
The individual must be able to reproduce observed behaviours.
What is motivation?
Individuals must expect to receive the same positive reinforcements for imitating observed behaviour that they saw the model receiving.
What was Bandura’s Bobo doll study?
It was a lab experiment, he used 72 children ages between 3 and 6 years old and were put into 1 of three groups for 10 minutes.
- Aggressive models was where the child played in a room while an adult hit and shouted at a bobo doll which was heavy at the bottom and wobbled when it was hit. The group was subdivided by gender of the child and adult model into four conditions.
- Non-aggressive model was where child played in a room while adult played quietly with a construction set. This group was subdivided by gender of the child and adult model into four conditions.
- Control group was where the child did not see a model.
Children were frustrated when being taken into a room where they were told they could not play with any of the toys. Then they were along in a room with aggressive toys like a gun and non - aggressive toys like crayons and the bobo doll for twenty minutes whilst observed.
What were the results on Bandura’s study?
Children who saw the aggressive model produced more aggression than those in either of the two groups. Boys imitated same sex models more than girls. Girls imitated more physical aggression if they saw male models and more verbal aggression if they saw female models.
What was the conclusion of Bandura’s study?
That aggressive behaviour can be learned in children through observation and imitation of a model.
What is a strength of SLT?
Research support for example Fox and Bailenson found that humans were more likely to imitate computer generated virtual humans who were more like themselves. Rushton and Campbell found that same sex modelling increased the number of female observes who agreed to and eventually donated blood and Meyers confirmed the importance of vicarious learning for the effectiveness of workplace teams. These studies demonstrate support for different aspects of SLT for example modelling and vicarious reinforcement which adds credibility to key principles of this theory.
What is a weakness of SLT?
The methodology used in the research to support SLT has been criticised. Bandura made extensive use of the experimental laboratory method, which is artificial, strictly controlled and contrived in its very nature. As a result there is a possibility of demand characteristic’s where children pick up on cues in the environment, guess the aim of the investigation and accordingly adjust their behaviour which lowers the internal validity of this study. Therefore the participants may have been acting in an aggressive manner because that is what they thought was expected of them rather than it being a new learned behaviour.
What is a strength of SLT?
Is its application to real world issues, it has long been a feature in explanation of criminal behaviour and recent research has continued the focus. Also it has been used to examine and evaluate effectiveness of advertising, researchers found that identification with a character or example may increase likelihood that audiences will model behaviour presented in an anti-alcohol message. Furthermore the principles of SLT can be used to provide a positive impact on promotional health campaigns and indirectly help combat alcohol problems.
