Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What is the social learning theory in a few words?
Observation and imitation with mediational processes
3 assumptions
Bandura said classical and operant conditioning could not account for all learning because humans have important mediational processes. Mediational processes lie between the stimulus and response.
The role of mediational processes
observe > mediational processes > imitate it.
There are 4 mediational processes: attention and retention (learning) motor reproduction and motivation (imitating).
People are more likely to imitate the behaviour of people with whom they identify (identification), called a role model. This process is called modelling.
Outline the bobo doll study
Bandura- do children imitate behaviour?
- watch a model hit a bobo doll
- observed playing with the doll themselves
- Another group of children were also observed but they watched a non-aggressive role model.
Strength-mediational processes however…
Recognises the importance of cognitive factors in learning (mediational processes).
However, ignores biological factors.
Research suggests that observational learning is the result of mirror neurons which allow us to empathise with and imitate other people. This suggests that biological influences on social learning were under-emphasised in social learning theory.
Limitation-lab studies
Laboratory studies are often criticised for their demand characteristics. For the bobo doll, the main purpose of the doll is to strike it so the children were simply behaving in a way that they thought was expected. This suggests that the research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life.
Strength-real world application
SLT can explain cultural differences in behaviour. Principles such as modelling, imitation and reinforcement can account for how children learn from others and the media, and this can explain how cultural norms are transmitted. This has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviours such as how children come to understand their gender role. This increases the value of the approach as it can account for real-world behaviour.
Comparing SLT with the behaviourist approach - 2 points
- The biological approach wouldn’t be able to explain cultural differences in behaviour because it states that all males/females have the same biology.
- Social learning theory is less reductionist than the behaviourist approach because it considers the mediational processes.
assumption 2
People learn through observation and imitation of others as well as direct learning through conditioning.
assumption 3
Imitation only occurs if the observed behaviour is rewarded rather than punished. This is called vicarious reinforcement.
bobo doll study- findings
Bandura found that the boys were more aggressive than the girls. Bandura also found that the children who observed the aggressive model imitated their behaviour and played aggressively with the bobo doll. Therefore, he concluded that children do learn behaviour from imitation.
