Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What does social learning theory involve?
Imitation, observation, identification, modelling, vicarious reinforcement and mediational process.
What are mediational processes?
All processes happening whilst observing role models.
Allows for cognitive influences from a mental representation of displayed behaviours and consequences.
What is attention and retention ?
refers to learning
What is motor reproduction and motivation?
refers to production
What is modelling?
Social learning occurs through observation and imitation of others.
It can be learned directly/directly through the action carried out by live (parent) or symbolic (celeb) model.
Actions are imitated by infant.
What is the fundamental belief?
Learning takes place through observation of others (models) and imitation (if the observed behaviour is seen to be rewarded)
what do mediational processes involve?
 Attention retention motor  reproduction, and motivation
Define imitation
Characteristics performed match that of others, e.g. copying a teacher
 Internally, decide if we would receive the same reaction as others when choosing to perform an action.
 If we see others being positively rewarded, we imitate that behaviour
What is identification? 
The extent to which an individual relates to a model
They must feel they are similar enough to experience the same outcome of behaviour 
What is vicarious reinforcement? 
Observing someone getting positively rewarded, it doesn’t have to happen to them individually e.g. Bandura study
What is a strength of social learning theory in terms of Bandura’s bobo doll study?
There is research to support social learning theory, such as the findings fromBandura’s study.
Briefly outline Bandura’s study 
The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of role models on young children
This was done by exposing children to one of two models, an adult interacting aggressively with a bobo doll, or an adult, interacting non-aggressively with the doll.
Bandura found that children who observed non-aggressive models, showed no aggressive behaviour
What are the problems with establishing causality in social learning theory?
Problem with explanations suggesting that increased associations with deviant peers increases the likelihood of an individual adopting those behaviours/miss behaviours
Therefore, can’t determine the causality of bad/delinquent behaviour. It may not be social learning theory and exposure of deviant role models, but naturally having deviant behaviour 
Siegel at El study, suggests those who already miss behave, seek out peers with a similar behaviour as them, because they are more fun to be around

What is a strength of the social learning theory in terms of real world application? 
Increase in understanding of human behaviour, such as criminal behaviour. The probability of someone engaging in criminal behaviour increases when being exposed to a model engaging in criminal  behaviour
What research is there for the support of importance of identification?
Fox at el study used virtual humans, either exercising all loitering. The models looked similar/asimilar to participants.
The study found that if a model looks similar to the individual than the more exercise they do whereas models who was shown doing exercise, but look nothing like the individual the less exercise the individual will complete.
 This suggests the more identification, the more likely to engage in a behaviour.
