Social learning Theory

Question 1

What does the social learning propose

Answer 1

The social learning theory proposes that new patterns of behaviour can be learnt via observing the behaviour of others. During learning people carry out various actions and observe the punsiehmtns or rewards

Question 2

How does the slt propose behaviorus are learnt (process)

Answer 2

1) modelling
2) imitation
3) identification
4) vicarious reinforcement

Question 3

What is modelling

Answer 3

• There needs to be a mdoel that initially models or carries out the action so the observer can lea e the behaviour.
• this model can either be live (parent) or symbolic (tv character)

Question 4

What is imitation

Answer 4

• Children learn the behaviour via imitation
• imitation is when the children copies the behaviour which was carried out by the significant model.
• this process is more rapid than cc or oc

Question 5

What are some key characteristics of successful imitation

Answer 5

• characterise of the role mdoel (age gender)
• observers perceived ability to carry out the behaviour
• the observered consequences

Question 6

What is identification

Answer 6

Identification refers to the amount the observer relates or e beliefs they are similar to the mdoel so they will receive the same outcomes
- observer would want to be as similar as possible
- children are most likely to identify with someone of the same gender

Question 7

What is vicarious reinforcement

Answer 7

Vicarious reinforcement is the idea that children do not need to directly experience the consequences of an action in order or learn the behavior.
- they can ales r behaviorus by observing the consequences of other, If a person is rewarded for carrying out a certain behaviour the observer is more likely to carry out that behaviorus

Question 8

What are mediatioaml processes

Answer 8

• the slt places Great importance on internal cognitive mediatioaml processes
• say the observer should form a mental representation of the action and the expected consequences of the actions

Question 9

What are the 4 mediations processes

Answer 9

1) attention - > observer must pay attention and notice the behaviour
2) retention -> observer must remember the proposed behaviour
3) motor reproduction -> the observer must be able to perform the action
4) motivation -> the observer must be willing to carry out the action in light of rewards

Question 10

Outline the bobo doll conditions

Answer 10

• Albert Bandar’s conducted the bobo doll study
• the study consisted of 72 participants (36 male and 36 female aged between 35-37 months old)they were shown a model acting aggressively and non aggressively tiwards a bobo doll and were given the chance to imitate the behaviour
• for 10 minutes, 24 children watched either a male or female adult mdoel behave aggressively towards the bobo doll, another 24 watched a male or female mdoel behave non aggressively towards the bobo doll and 24 were a control group with no bobo doll

Question 11

How was the aggressive mdoel acting

Answer 11

Distinctively aggressive towards the bobo doll p such as smashing with a mallet and saying words like pow

Question 12

What were the children made to do (2nd step)

Answer 12

• the researchers made the chicken frustrated by showing them toys and not letting them play with them
• the chidkrne were then taken 1 by 1 to a room with toys such as a bobo doll and other toys such as a mallet and dart gun and other non aggressive toys. They were recorded for 20 mins

Question 13

What were the findings of the bobo doll study

Answer 13

• those who observed an aggressive model showed aggressive behaviour towards the bobo doll and those who observed a non aggressive role mdoel showed non aggressive behaviorus
• 33% of children who observed and heard aggressive behaviours, did and said the same aggressive behaviours to the bobo doll such as saying the word pow
• girls who saw males were more physically aggressive and girls who saw female modes, were more verbally aggressive
• boys were more likely to imitate same sex

Question 14

+ slt explains criminal behaviour

Answer 14

A strength of the slt is that it explains how criminal behaviour is learnt. Akers said criminal behaviour more likely to occur when the person is exposed to a criminal role model they highly identify with e.g same age and same gender also when they are exposed to rewards for committing the crime such as money

Question 15

+ less deterministic ghan the behavioural approach

Answer 15

Another strength of the slt is that it is less deterministic than the behaviorus t approach. Bandura was an advocate for the idea of reciprocal determinism, this is the idea that our external environment merely exerts influence on our behaviour as we also enter our own influence on our behaviour through our choice to perform behaviours. This element of choice suggests there is also free will in our behaviour

Question 16

• ignores other factors

Answer 16

A weakness of the slt is that it ignores other factors which can influence our behaviour such as biological factors and genetic factors, for example the slt suggests that boys will a,ways be more aggressive than girls due to bias identifying more with same sex role models, however the reason may be due to the hormone of testosterone

Question 17

• demand characteristics and ecological validity

Answer 17

• studies into the slt such as