Social learning theory Flashcards
What is the social learning theory?
1960s - Albert Bandura
Still used concepts like reinforcement and punishment, but suggested we could learn by the imitation of others in a social context. We learn indirectly through imitating role models.
What are the key terms that we need to learn for SLT?
Imitation
Identification
Modelling
Vicarious reinforcement
Vicarious punishment
What is imitation?
Copying a behaviour we have observed in a role model which may or may not have gained a reward, but not taking on the attitudes and beliefs of the individuals you are copying.
What is identification?
Identifying with someone who you look up to and we see ourselves as being similar to the role model, and wish to be like them, so we are influenced by their behaviour and are more likely to imitate them.
What is modelling?
Refers to things we see or hear models doing or saying. The role model shows you how to behave / have their attitude.
What is vicarious reinforcement?
When an individual observes a role model being rewarded for behaviour. They are then motivated to imitate this behaviour in the hope of receiving a similar rewarding consequence.
What is vicarious punishment?
When an individual observes a role model being punished for a behaviour. This reduces the motivation to imitate that behaviour to avoid similar consequences for ourselves.
What are the mediational processes in Social Learning Theory?
Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation
What is attention?
Factors that influence whether a learner concentrates on the behaviour of the role model. These may include the learner’s interpretation of the role model’s power, attractiveness and similarity.
What is retention?
Factors that influence whether a learner can store and remember the behaviours the role model produces.
What is reproduction?
Factors that influence whether they are capable of imitating the behaviour. These include physical ability, but also the learner’s self-esteem and self-efficiency.
What is motivation?
Factors that influence how a learner responds to reinforcement - there has to be a good reason to imitate the behaviour. These can include responses to past experiences and expectations about future benefits.
What was the procedure of Bandura’s study?
Bandura’s research - 36 boys and 36 girls with a mean age of 4 years and 4 months were taken individually into a room with toys for ten minutes. One group was exposed to an aggressive adult who was violent towards a Bobo doll who beat it with a wooden mallet and repeated violent statements. A second group was exposed to a non violent adult who played quietly. A third group was used as a control and were not shown a model. A baseline test was conducted to assess aggression using a matched pairs design. After exposure, the children were taken to another room where they were presented with toys but could not play with them. They were taken to another room with a Bobo doll, a mallet and other toys. They were observed through a one way mirror for 20 minutes.
What was the aim of Bandura’s study?
Show that learning can occur through observation - children can learn aggression from observation of an aggressive model.
What were the results of Bandura’s study?
Children who had been exposed to the aggressive model showed more imitation of the model’s behaviour than the child in the other two groups. Some showed specific aggressive acts that were very similar to the acts of the model. Children showed little aggression when exposed to the non-aggressive model. Suggested that close imitation was clear evidence of learning through association.
