Social Learning Theory Flashcards
4 assumptions for SLT
1) Learning occurs by observing role models
2) Thought processes that lie between stimulus and response influence behaviour
3) Learning can be a result of direct and indirect reinforcement
4) Mind, behaviour and environment ALL play a role in learning
SLT is a bridge between what 2 approaches
Cognitive and behaviourist
What criticism can be made about cognitive and behaviourist approaches about its claims of the way humans think
Behaviourism= - Doesn’t take human thought into account
Cognitive= - Doesn’t account for individuality
What are the 3 things social learning theory takes into account, during the cognitive processes involved in learning
- Mind
- Behaviour
- Environment
What are the 4 mediating cognitive factors
1) Attention
2) Retention
3) Motivation
4) Reproduction
Whats imitation
Term to describe when an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it.
What’s identification
The 4 factors
Identification is how you associate someone with you
1) Similarity to you
2) How likeable they are
3) High status
4) Reinforced/punished
What’s modelling
Modelling- demonstrating behaviour
- Humans learn through modelling- Modelling involves learning through the observation of other people (models), which may lead to imitation (repetition) of the behaviour
What’s vicarious reinforcement
Term used to describe the reinforcement the observer sees the model receiving. They do not receive the reward themselves, they see someone else get it
When it’s vicarious the person learns by observing the consequences of another persons behaviour
Influences on learning
Reinforcement and punishment influence the extent…
To which an individual exhibits a behaviour that has been learned.
Attention to and retention to prior events affects our…
Motivation to reproduce a behaviour
Who is being directly reinforced
Who is being vicariously reinforced
- Directly reinforced= person receiving the reward
- Vicariously reinforced= the audience
Explain what involves learning
Paragraph
- Learning involves observation of other people (models), which may lead to imitation of behaviour.
- SLT assumes, unlike behaviourism it does however allow that processes/thoughts are important in how people learn behaviour
Do humans always perform behaviour that’s learned
It acknowledges that we might learn a behaviour, but choose not to perform it ourselves, due to not being motivated
Evidence for social learning theory
Method and 3 conditions
- Method= Children showed a video of a bobo doll being hit, to see if they’ll imitate the behaviour
- Conditions:
1) An adult commented positively on the behaviour (vicarious reinforcement)
2) An adult commented negatively (vicarious punishment)
3) No comment was made (Control Condition)
Conclusion of Banduras study
- Boys acted more aggressively than girls
- Getting a reward (vicarious reinforcement) and no consequences showed no difference in aggression
- Vicarious punishment reduced aggression
Results of banduras study
- Imitations are lower when there’s a reward and no consequences
- Punishment results in lower imitations
Evaluation of banduras study
- very artificial environment therefore validity is low
- Unethical, can teach kids to go and beat everyone up
How can process of identification explain the high incidence of eating disorders?
Unobtainable pictures from the press/news, attempts to imitate will be unsuccessful, mental health problems and eating disorders will be the result
Evaluation of SLT
- Builds upon weaknesses of behaviourism and cognitive approach. Strength because explains real life behaviour more comprehensively
- SLT uses lab studies. Limitation, can’t be applied to real life
- States humans learn from observation. Limitation, doesn’t account for spontaneous behaviour
- Doesn’t take into account biological factors such as hormones. Limitation, not a comprehensive explanation for behaviour
- SLT accounts for current phenomena like models being photoshopped creating unobtainable images. Strength, behaviour modelled is unrealistic and can’t be replicated
