social learning theory Flashcards
how does SLT suggest behaviour is learnt?
from the environment through the process of observational learning
what are people we observe and imitate called?
role models
how does SLT link to the behaviourist approach?
- behaviour learnt through operant conditioning
- ideas of reinforcement
- links to classical conditioning (mediational processes)
what is modelling?
observation and imitation of a model’s behaviour
what is identification?
certain qualities and characteristics of role model are picked up on
what is vicarious reinforcement?
indirect reinforcement
- seeing others rewarded for behaviour makes us more likely to imitate their behaviour
what is vicarious punishment?
we copy based on behaviour and consequences
- we won’t copy a models behaviour if they are punished for it
what are mediational processes?
cognitive processes involved in the learning process between the stimulus and response
what are the 4 mediational processes?
- attention
- retention
- imitation
- motivation
what is attention?
a person pays attention to a model’s behaviour and consequences
- observer must decide if model’s behaviour is worth imitating
what is retention?
they memorise the behaviour they observed
what is imitation?
is the observer capable of imitating the behaviour?
what is motivation?
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
which processes relate to the learning of behaviour?
attention and retention
which processes relate to the performance of behaviour?
imitation and motivation
what are the 3 attentional processes?
- similarity of model
- identification of model
- rewarded behaviours
what is similarity of model?
more likely to observe a model if they identify with them
what is identification of model?
more likely to identify with model if they have a quality we want to possess
what is rewarded behaviour?
- individual who sees model being rewarded for behaviour is more likely to imitate
- behaviour resulting in negative outcomes is less likely to be copied
who researched SLT?
Bandura
how did Bandura study SLT?
through a Bobo doll study
outline the aim of the Bobo doll procedure
- conducted a controlled experiment to investigate if social behaviours can be acquired by observation and imitation
outline the procedure of the Bobo doll study
- 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
outline the findings of the Bobo doll study
- 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
what were the conclusions of Bandura’s study
- 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
S: builds on behaviourism + ELAB: may be limited exp
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
W: biologically reductionist
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
W: demand characteristics
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
