social learning theory

Question 1

how does SLT suggest behaviour is learnt?

Answer 1

from the environment through the process of observational learning

Question 2

what are people we observe and imitate called?

Answer 2

role models

Question 3

how does SLT link to the behaviourist approach?

Answer 3

• behaviour learnt through operant conditioning
• ideas of reinforcement
• links to classical conditioning (mediational processes)

Question 4

what is modelling?

Answer 4

observation and imitation of a model’s behaviour

Question 5

what is identification?

Answer 5

certain qualities and characteristics of role model are picked up on

Question 6

what is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 6

indirect reinforcement
- seeing others rewarded for behaviour makes us more likely to imitate their behaviour

Question 7

what is vicarious punishment?

Answer 7

we copy based on behaviour and consequences
- we won’t copy a models behaviour if they are punished for it

Question 8

what are mediational processes?

Answer 8

cognitive processes involved in the learning process between the stimulus and response

Question 9

what are the 4 mediational processes?

Answer 9

1. attention
2. retention
3. imitation
4. motivation

Question 10

what is attention?

Answer 10

a person pays attention to a model’s behaviour and consequences
- observer must decide if model’s behaviour is worth imitating

Question 11

what is retention?

Answer 11

they memorise the behaviour they observed

Question 12

what is imitation?

Answer 12

is the observer capable of imitating the behaviour?

Question 13

what is motivation?

Answer 13

the observer will consider the rewards and punishments that follow the behaviour
- if the rewards outweigh the costs then the observer will more likely imitate

Question 14

which processes relate to the learning of behaviour?

Answer 14

attention and retention

Question 15

which processes relate to the performance of behaviour?

Answer 15

imitation and motivation

Question 16

what are the 3 attentional processes?

Answer 16

1. similarity of model
2. identification of model
3. rewarded behaviours

Question 17

what is similarity of model?

Answer 17

more likely to observe a model if they identify with them

Question 18

what is identification of model?

Answer 18

more likely to identify with model if they have a quality we want to possess

Question 19

what is rewarded behaviour?

Answer 19

• individual who sees model being rewarded for behaviour is more likely to imitate
• behaviour resulting in negative outcomes is less likely to be copied

Question 20

who researched SLT?

Answer 20

Bandura

Question 21

how did Bandura study SLT?

Answer 21

through a Bobo doll study

Question 22

outline the aim of the Bobo doll procedure

Answer 22

• conducted a controlled experiment to investigate if social behaviours can be acquired by observation and imitation

Question 23

outline the procedure of the Bobo doll study

Answer 23

• 36 boys and 36 girls from Stanford university nursery school, aged 3-6
• researchers pre-tested children for how aggressive they were (rating scales)
• matched pairs design
• condition 1: shown aggressive model towards Bobo doll
• condition 2: shown non-aggressive model who ignored Bobo doll
• condition 3: control group - not exposed to any model

Question 24

outline the findings of the Bobo doll study

Answer 24

• condition 1: displayed most aggressive behaviour
• condition 2: least aggressive
• condition 3: some children showed aggression
• boys showed more physical aggression
• boys imitated aggressive male models more than aggressive female models

Question 25

what were the conclusions of Bandura’s study

Answer 25

• children could learn from the observation of adult models
• children tended to imitate what they saw the adult model do (actions)
• this suggests that learning can occur without reinforcements

Question 26

S: builds on behaviourism + ELAB: may be limited exp

Answer 26

ID: a strength of SLT is that it builds on behaviourism
Q: SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes, compared to classical and operant conditioning
EX: for example, SLT can explain many more complex social behaviours, such as gender roles and moral behaviour, than models of learning based on simple reinforcement, which could be considered reductionist
AN: therefore, this is a strength as SLT takes into account cognitive factors and recognises that the learner plays an active role in their learning
ELAB: however, some critics may argue that SLT is a limited explanation as it doesn’t fully explain the cognitive processes involved in learning or how they interact with environmental and individual factors. therefore, it cannot adequately account for how we develop a range of behaviour, including thoughts and feelings

Question 27

W: biologically reductionist

Answer 27

ID: however, a criticism of SLT is that it may be biologically reductionist
Q: SLT has been criticised for not addressing biological factors, such as genetic predispositions, which can also impact behaviour
EX: for example, it does not factor hormones such as testosterone which play a major role in aggression, as Bandura found that boys were consistently more physically aggressive than girls in his bobo doll study
AN: therefore, this suggests that SLT may make too little reference to the influence of biological factors on social observational learning

Question 28

W: demand characteristics

Answer 28

ID: a further limitation of SLT is that it may suffer from demand characteristics
Q: this means that SLT relies too heavily on evidence from contrived lab studies
EX: for example, many of Bandura’s ideas were developed through observation of children’s behaviour in lab settings. this raises the problem of demand characteristics as the artificial setting may have encouraged the children to behave as they think was expected from them. AN: therefore, the internal validity of the study is reduced. furthermore, as the studies all took place in an artificial lab setting, the findings have low ecological validity as they cannot be applied to real life settings regarding aggression. this suggests that Bandura’s research actually tells us little about how children learn aggression in everyday life