social learning theory Flashcards
what is imitaion?
copying the behaviour of others
what are the key assumptions of the social learning approach
- behaviour is learnt through experiences, focuses on observational learning and modelling
- mediational processes play an important role in observational learning
- learning can occur indirectly through vicarious reinforcement
- lab experiments & directly observable behaviour
what is identification?
when a learner associates themselves with the model and wants to be like them
what is modelling?
when a learner copies the behaviour of a role model.
what are mediational processes?
internal mental processes that lie between stimulus and response.
what are the 4 mediational processes identified by Bandura?
attention, retention, reproduction and motivation
what is attention?
how much a learner notices a role model’s behaviourw
what is retention?
how much a learner remembers the behviour of a role model
what is reproduction?
how far a learner believes they could imitate the role model’s behaviour
what is motivation?
how much the learner wants to repeat the role model’s behviour
what is vicarious reinforcement?
reinforcement that happens through seeing someone else be positively or negatively reinforced for a behaviour.
Bandura’s bobo doll study
children observed an adult shouting at and attacking a bobo doll with a hammer. When children were left alone with the toys, they imitated the behaviour they had watched, acting more aggressively towards the doll than the control group.
what is meant by self efficacy?
how confident we are that our actions will achieve a particular goal. every time a child is successful in using aggression for rewards their self efficacy grows.
AO3 - soft determinism
less deterministic then behaviorist approach, takes into account both the idea of learning behaviours as well as free will and cognitive factors.
AO3 - RWA
limiting childrens exposure to violence will limit their aggression in society, e.g. to classmates.
AO3 - external validity
lab studies have the possibilty to have demand characteristics. the main purpose of bobo dolls is to be hit, difficult to know whether aggression was due to observation or not.
