Social Learning Theory

Question 1

social learning theory

Answer 1

we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished

Question 2

What is imitation?

Answer 2

Copying the behaviour of others

Question 3

What is a role model?

Answer 3

Someone you look up to

Question 4

What is the mediational process?

Answer 4

attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation (thinking)

Question 5

Attention (learning)

Answer 5

The observer must pay attention to a particular behaviour

Question 6

Retention (learning)

Answer 6

A mental representation of the behaviour in order for it to be later replicated (must be remembered)

Question 7

Motor reproduction (performance)

Answer 7

The ability of the observer to perform the observed behaviour. Our physical and mental abilities will determine which behaviours we reproduce. (Can we physically do it)

Question 8

Motivation (performance)

Answer 8

The rewards and punishments that follow a behaviour will determine whether or not the observer reproduces the behaviour.

Question 9

vicarious reinforcement

Answer 9

observing someone else receive a reward or punishment

Question 10

identification

Answer 10

A child sees the self as somehow similar to a role model and forms and attachment to them.

Question 11

Modelling

Answer 11

the process of demonstrating and imitating a specific behaviour

Question 12

Bandura’s social learning theory

Answer 12

Bandura researched the extent of observational behavior on children from models with aggressive behavior. He states that when children watch physical aggresion, they in turn do physical aggression. They were more aggressive, increasingly attracted to aggressive things, and had more novel hostile behaviour.

Question 13

What are strengths of social learning theory? (Ao3)

Answer 13

-Considers cognitive factors
-Scientific
-less deterministic
-less reductionist
-Applied to real life and other parts of psychology
- accounts for how children learn from others and social media etc - explains how cultural norms are transmitted and gender roles.

Question 14

What are limitations of social learning theory? (Ao3)

Answer 14

• too reliant on evidence from lab studies which raises the issue of demand characteristics which is where the ppt acts in an unnatural way to look ideal or please the researcher and these experiments have low environmental validity as they’re performed in a lab.
• The purpose of the BoBo dolls is to hit it therefore children may just be behaving as they thought was expected rather than imitating what they had observed.

Question 15

Positive - real world application

Answer 15

• how children learn behaviours from the world around them and explains how cultural norms are transmitted
• helps us to understand gender roles

Question 16

Bandura’s 2nd study (AO3)

Answer 16

Showed videos to children of an adult displaying aggressive behaviour towards a BoBo doll.
Group A: saw the adult praised for aggressive behaviour (“well done”).
Group B: Saw adult punished for aggressive behaviour (told off).
Group C (control group): saw no consequence for aggressive behaviour.

Group A showed the most aggression which supports the theory that children will imitate role models if there is motivation (vicarious reinforcement).