social learning theory

Question 1

Who was Albert Bandura?

Answer 1

Albert Bandura is a Professor in Psychology at Stanford University.

He was influential in the transition between behaviourism and cognitive psychology.

He is known as the originator of Social Learning Theory and is also responsible for the influential 1961 Bobo doll experiment.

Question 2

What are the key assumptions of the social learning theory

Answer 2

1) Behaviour is learnt from the environment
(genetic influences are disregarded)
2) Behaviour is learnt from observing others and the reinforcement or punishment they receive
3) Behaviour that is observed being rewarded, is imitated

Question 3

how is the social learning theory different from the behaviourist approach?

Answer 3

Unlike the Behaviourist Approach, Social Learning Theory considers cognitive processes and views humans as active information processors, rather than passive learners (SLT is less reductionist and deterministic).

Question 4

What is modelling in social learning theory?

Answer 4

a form of learning - individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual perform that behaviour (a role model) and later imitating it.
From the role model’s perspective, modelling is the demonstration of a behaviour, that may be imitated by an observer.
From the observer’s perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model.

Question 5

what is imitation?

Answer 5

the action of copying an observed behaviour.

Question 6

What is identification?

Answer 6

the extent to which an individual relates to a model and feels that he/she is similar (e.g. same gender) or wishes to be like them.
Identification = more likely to imitate behaviour

Question 7

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 7

observing the positive consequences of a model’s behaviour i.e. him/her receiving a reward, making imitation more likely.

Question 8

What is the definition for the mediational processes?

Answer 8

internal mental (thought) processes that exist between observing a behaviour (stimulus) and imitating it or not (response): Attention; Retention; Reproduction; Motivation. Bandura (1977) documented 4 mediational processes:

Question 9

What are Bandura’s 4 mediational processes?

Answer 9

Attention – closely observe the behaviour of the model

Retention – forming a memory of the behaviour observed

Reproduction – thinking if it is physically possible to imitate the behaviour

Motivation – if the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs (outcome expectancies), then the individual is more motivated to imitate the behaviour

Question 10

What was Bandura et al (1961) aims of the Bobo Doll experiment

Answer 10

• To examine the role of a model on influencing aggressive behaviour in children.
  
  • To examine if the gender of the model influenced same gender and opposite gender children to a differing degree.

Question 11

What was Bandura et al (1961) procedure of the Bobo Doll experiment

Answer 11

Controlled observation (observation conducted under laboratory conditions) – 36 boys and 36 girls, aged 3-6 years.

Stage 1: Modelling
i) ½ the children were put into a room (one at a time) and observed an aggressive role model (either same or opposite sex) for 10 minutes i.e. hitting the doll with a hammer, throwing it in the air, shouting “Pow”
ii) ½ the children observed a non-aggressive role model (either same or opposite sex).

Stage 2: Mild Aggression Arousal
Children were shown attractive toys that they weren’t allowed to play with.

Stage 3: Test for Delayed Imitation
Children were taken to a room with a range of toys, including the Bobo doll, a mallet, a dart gun, dolls, crayons (aggressive and non-aggressive toys).
- Their behaviour was observed for 20 minutes and rated for the extent that the imitated the model.

Question 12

What experimental design did Bandura use?

Answer 12

Matched Pairs Design:
Participants in the experimental and
control groups were matched individually on the basis of ratings of their aggressive behaviour in social interactions in the nursery school.

Question 13

What were the results of Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment?

Answer 13

1) Children who observed the aggressive model displayed far more imitative aggressive responses than children in the non-aggressive condition.
2) Boys acted more aggressively than girls.
3) There was a greater level of imitation if the role model was the same gender as the child (evidence for identification).

Question 14

What was the conclusion of Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment?

Answer 14

Conclusion: There is a an effect on behaviour from observing an aggressive model and this behaviour continues after a delay.

Question 15

Why was psychological harm a ethical issue in Bandura’s Research?

Answer 15

The children may have been distressed by the aggressive behaviour they witnessed.
The aggressive behaviour they learnt from the study may have stayed with them, potentially leading to behavioural problems.
Participants are supposed to leave a study in the same state they entered it, which may not have happened here. This is an example of what theBPS Code of Ethicscalls “normalising unhelpful behaviours”.

Question 16

Why was consent an ethical issue in Bandura’s Research?

Answer 16

Although the children could not give consentto take part, their nursery teachers agreed and it is assumed the children’s parents agreed too; this ispresumptive consent.
No effort seems to have been made todebriefthe children afterwards (by explaining that the aggressive adults were only pretending).

Question 17

Why was the right to withdraw an ethical issue in Bandura’s research?

Answer 17

The children could notwithdrawfrom the study – they were unaware of their right to.

Question 18

How would Bandura argue against these ethical issue?

Answer 18

Bandura would argue that thebenefits to societyoutweighed therisksto any of the children.
His research has shown us the influence that role models have on aggressive behaviour, especially role models on TV and film. This has been an important contribution to the debate over censorship in TV, films, videos and games.

Question 19

PEC:Unlike the behaviourist approach (classical and operant conditioning) social learning theory acknowledges the role of thought (mediational) processes in learning behaviour.

Answer 19

It assumes that observational learning could not occur without cognitive processes. These cognitive factors mediate the learning process to determine whether a behaviour is retained and reproduced - individuals do not passively observe and imitate the behaviour of a model, there is some conscious thought prior to imitation (suggesting an element of free will).

C: Therefore, SLT provides a less reductionist and deterministic explanation of human learning than behaviourism.

+: BUT, cognitive processes i.e. thoughts, are not directly observable (they are inferred), unlike behaviour, so it is therefore difficult to take a scientific approach in assessing their role in social learning i.e. they are difficult to measure objectively and empirically.

Question 20

PEC:P: Social Learning Theory is supported by research evidence.

Answer 20

Bandura found that children who observed an adult role model behave in an aggressive (both physical and verbal) way towards a Bobo doll displayed far more imitative aggressive responses than children who had been exposed to a non-aggressive role model. Bandura also found that there was a greater level of imitation if the role model was the same gender as the child, which provides evidence for identification.

C: This supports Social Learning Theory because Bandura successfully demonstrated the acquisition of aggressive behaviour amongst children as a result of observing an aggressive role model and how this behaviour is imitated after a delay.

+: However, this study could be criticised in that the effects of social learning were only shown in the short-term. Furthermore, the children may have responded to demand characteristics in that they thought they were supposed to copy the actions of the adult model. The Bobo doll is also designed to be hit, which could have elicited aggressive behaviour, as opposed to it being learnt, which therefore undermines the validity of the research.

Question 21

PEC:Real-life application: The approach can successfully explain the initiation of certain behaviours as well as cultural differences in behaviour.

Answer 21

For example, it could explain why someone might start to smoke as a result of exposure to role models e.g. peers who smoke and who might receive praise for this behaviour (vicarious reinforcement).
It can also explain how children learn from those around them, as well as through the media, providing an understanding of how cultural norms are transmitted through societies.

C: The principles of social learning have therefore been usefully applied to increase our understanding of many areas of human behaviour (e.g. addiction, gender role) and could in theory be applied to change health-related behaviours e.g. the media could present positive role models similar to the target audience to bring about identification.

Question 22

PEC: However, SLT is not a full explanation for all behaviour.
It is difficult to explain how behaviour was acquired where there is no apparent role model – it might be that it is innate rather than learnt.

Answer 22

Therefore, there is a causality problem with the Social Learning Theory…
For example, the cause of delinquency may not be a result of exposure to deviant role models. Rather, young people who possess deviant values/attitudes might seek out peers with similar attitudes/behaviours instead (Siegel & McCormick, 2006).
Hormonal factors might also play a role, such as differences in levels of testosterone (which might explain why boys were consistently more aggressive than girls in the Bobo doll experiments).
This therefore suggests that nature has a part to play and might influence nurture.