Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Social Learning Theory
Assumptions
- Bandura agreed with behaviourists that behaviour is learned from experience.
- However, Social Learning Theory proposed a different way in which people learn: observation and imitation of others.
Social Learning Theory
Vicarious Reinforcement
- For indirect learning to take place, an individual observes the behaviour of others.
- The learner observes a behaviour and its consqeuences.
- Imitation is only likely to occur of the behaviour is seen to be rewarded, rather than punished.
- This is vicarious reinforcement.
Social Learning Theory
Mediational Processes
- There are 4 processes essential to the observation and imitation of behaviours:
- Attention: the extent to which we notice behaviours.
- Retention: how well the bahaviour is remembered.
- Motor reproduction: the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour.
- Motivation: the will to perform the behaviour, often determined by whether it was rewarded or punished.
- The first two are related to learning the behaviour while the second two the performance.
Social Learning Theory
Identification
- People are more likely to imitate people they identify with.
- The person they identify with is called a ‘role model’ and the process of imitating a role model is known as ‘modeling’ (the behaviour of the role model is also called this).
- A person becomes a role model s they are seen to possess characteristics similar to the observer and/or are attractive and have high status.
- Model do not have to be physically present in the environment and this has important inplications on the influence of the media on behaviour.
Social Learning Theory: Evaluation
Cognitive Factors
Strength
- SLT recognises the importance of cognitive factors in learning.
- Human and animals store information about the behaviour of others.
- This is used to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions.
This suggests SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes.
Social Learning Theory: Evaluation
Counterpoint
(Cognitive Factors)
- SLT has been criticised for making too little reference to the influence of biological factors.
- Bandura claimed natural biological differences influenced our learning potential.
- However, he thought that learning itself is determined by the environment.
- Research suggests observational learning may be the result of mirror neurons in the brain, which allow us to interact and empathise with other people.
This suggests that biological influence on social learning are under-emphasised in SLT.
Social Learning Theory: Evaluation
Contrived Lab Studies
Limitation
- The evidence on which SLT was based was gathered from lab studies.
- Lab studies are often criticised for their contrived nature by the participants’ responses to deman characteristics.
- In relation to Bandura’s Bobo doll research, the children had assumed the purpose was to strike it.
- They were simply behaving in the way that they thought was expected.
This suggests Bandura’s research tells us little about how children learn aggression in real life.
Social Learning Theory: Evaluation
Real-world Application
Strength
- SLT principles have been applied to a range of real-world behaviours.
- It has the advantage of being able to explain cultural differences in behaviour.
- Principles such as modelling, imitation and reinforcement can account for how children learn from others around them.
- This can explain how cultural norms are transmitted through particular societies.
- This has been proven useful in understanding a range of behaviours, oncluding how children learn their gender role.
This increases the value of the approach as it can account for real-world behaviour.
