social learning theory

Question 1

what are some key assumptions of social learning theory?

Answer 1

much of our behaviour is learnt through experience, in particular imitation in a social context

states we learn through classical and operant conditioning but also through vicarious reinforcement

Question 2

what is meant by modelling?

Answer 2

there must be someone to watch carry out an action for it to be copied. 2 types
live - in front of your eyes
symbolic - in the media

Question 3

what is meant by imitation?

Answer 3

involves copying a role model who is completing a behaviour. quick process where complex behaviours can be learnt in short time period

Question 4

what is meant by identification?

Answer 4

the extent to how similar a person feels to a role model and whether they can relate to them. an identified role model would ensure effective learning takes place

Question 5

what is meant by vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 5

learning through watching others being rewarded or punished for their behaviour

Question 6

what is meant by meditational factors?

Answer 6

internal mental processes that exist between environmental stimuli and the response made by an individual to those stimuli - how you interpret and think about stimuli material

Question 7

what are the 4 mediational factors?

Answer 7

attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation

Question 8

what is meant by attention?

Answer 8

noticing certain behaviours

Question 9

what is meant by retention?

Answer 9

remembering a behaviour

Question 10

what is meant by motor reproduction?

Answer 10

the ability to perform the behaviour yourself

Question 11

what is meant by motivation?

Answer 11

wanting to perform the behaviour or not

Question 12

who researched into whether children show imitative learning?

Answer 12

Bandura (1961)

Question 13

what was bandura’s aim?

Answer 13

to investigate whether children show imitative learning

Question 14

what was bandura’s procedure?

Answer 14

• half of children exposed to adults acting aggressively and half acting non aggressively towards a bobo doll
• children then shown toys they couldn’t play with to frustrate them
• then taken into room with toys they could pay with including bobo doll

Question 15

what were bandura’s results?

Answer 15

children who watched the aggressive model physically and verbally abused the model while those who observed non aggressive model exhibited virtually no aggression

Question 16

what was bandura’s conclusion?

Answer 16

children learn behaviours through observing role models engage in behaviours and imitate this

Question 17

strengths of social learning theory

Answer 17

role of cognition and drawing links between other approaches - provides more complete explanation of human learning by recognising mediational processes

real world application - how children can learn from others around them and also through the media

can account for cultural variations due to perceiving behaviour as a result of social context

can explain some criminal behaviour

Question 18

limitations of slt

Answer 18

relies too heavily on evidence from controlled lab studies, issue of demand characteristics and is not applicable to everyday life

sees behaviour as environmentally determined while some may be innate. reductionist as doesn’t explain biological factors

mediating cognitive factors need to be inferred