Social Learning Theory Flashcards
who proposed SLT
Bandura
what does SLT propose about learning
observational learning, and copying behaviour without conditioning
we learn from our environment through observation reinforcement and the process of modelling
modelling
learning through the observation of other people
role modelling
someone with significant importance to an individual
3 types of model
live
symbolic
verbal
live model
symbolic
fictional or real characters displaying certain behaviours through books, online media etc.
verbal
verbal instructional models describe explanations or instructions
when are models more likely to be imitated
if they are similar to the observers
if they are perceived by the observers as important or prestigious
which 3 variables affects imitation
characteristics of the role model
e.g. gender, age and status
characteristics of the observer
e.g. self esteem, self efficacy
the consequences of the behaviour for the model, if they are rewarded or punished
who identified the 3 variables which affected imitation
Pennington (1986)
vicarious learning
we learn through others’ mistakes or successes
vicarious reinforcement
when you imitate the behaviour of someone who has been reinforced for that behaviour
vicarious punishment
occurs when the tendency to engage in a behaviour is weakened after having observed the negative consequences for another engaging in that behaviour
vicarious extinction
occurs when it is noticed the person being observed engaging in the behaviour is no longer rewarded and so the behaviour that was once imitated stops
what are the 4 stages in the SLT process
observation/ attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation
stage 1 of SLT: observation/ attention
learning starts off by paying attention to the model in order to learn from them
stage 2 of SLT: retention
the behaviour being modelled needs to be retained by the observer, as the behaviour is usually required to be imitated at a later date
stage 3 of SLT: motor reproduction
imitation
Stage 4 of SLT: motivation
whether the behaviour continues depends on motivation
external/ extrinsic motivation
if the behaviour is rewarded it ill be repeated
what years where Bandura’s studies?
1961, 1963 &1965
what do we learn by observing role models
we learn how to do things and can predict the likely consequences
Bandura 1961 study’s aim
to see whether children would copy the aggression they saw
how do the results from Bandura’s 1961 study support SLT?
aggression by the male role model was imitated the most
girls imitated the female more in regards to verbal aggression
did not involve reinforcement of the behaviour and yet it was still imitated
Bandura 1963 Study’s aim
looked at modelling of aggression considering real life, film and cartoon
Bandura 1963 results
observing filmed aggression will lead to aggressive acts in children
supports SLT as symbolic modelling has been executed
those watching the film showed a lot more aggression then the control group
Bandura 1965 reults
behaviour is more likely to be repeated if the model is rewarded
behaviour is less likely to be imitated if the model is punished
why might using children weaken Banduras theory?
it cannot be generalised as children are still developing and learning
