social learning theory Flashcards
what is the social learning theory?
a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors
what is the social learning theory a subsection of?
the learning theory
what are the assumptions?
•much of our behaviour is learned from experience
•people learn through observation and imitation of others within a social context.
•mental processes should be considered
•learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning, but also indirectly
what is imitation?
copying the behaviour of others
what is vicarious reinforcement?
•for indirect learning to take place an individual observes the behaviour of others, imitation only occurs if the behaviour is rewarded (so vicarious reinforcement occurs)
•the learner therefore observed a behaviour and the consequences of it
what are mediational processes?
the SLT focuses on how cognitive factors are involved in learning. these mental factors mediate (intervene) in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired
what are the 4 mediational processes in learning?
Attention- the extent to which we notice certain behaviours
Retention- how well the behaviour is remembered
Motor Reproduction- the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
Motivation- the will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
who devised the 4 mediational processes?
Bandura
what were the first and second two mediational processes for?
first two- learning
second two- performance of the behaviour
the mediational processes to not have to occur together
definition of identification:
when an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model
what is identification?
•people (children) are more likely to imitate the behaviour of people they identify with- ‘role models’
•this process is known as modelling
•they do not have to be physically present and can exist on social media
what is the definition of mediational processes?
cognitive factors (ie thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
evaluation points for the social learning theory
+the importance of cognitive factors in learning
-over reliance on evidence from lab studies
-underestimates the influence of biological factors
+explains cultural differences in behaviour
+less determinist than the behaviourist approach
the importance of cognitive factors in learning
•humans and many animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions (vicarious reinforcement)
•this goes beyond the explanation for learning through vicarious/ operant reinforcement which doesn’t account for how we learn things we’ve never experienced before
•the SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes
over-reliance on evidence from lab studies
•participants performed in artificial tasks may have been subject to demand characteristics
•in the Bobo Doll experiment, children may have thought the purpose of the study was to strike the doll so they may have been doing what they thought was expected of them
•research may tell us little about social learning in real life
