Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What are SLT assumptions?

Answer 1

1) suggests behaviour is learned through stimulus-response links and reinforcement, but also considers role of cognitive processes
2) learning occurs through observational learning
3) observational learning can occur without reinforcement
4) psychologists should adopt an objective and scientific approach to understand behaviour (lab using human participants)

Question 2

What is identification?

Answer 2

• people are more likely to imitate a role model (someone they identify with who usually has similar characteristics to them, is attractive, or of high status)
• action of observer imitating role model’s behaviour is
  called modelling
• vicarious reinforcement is reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour

Question 3

What are mediational processes?

Answer 3

1) attention - extent to which we notice behaviours
2) retention - how well behaviour is remembered
3) motor reproduction- how capable we are of performing role model’s behaviour
4) motivation - will to perform the behaviour (often determined by whether behaviour was rewarded or punished)

Question 4

What is Bandura’s bobo doll study 1961?

Answer 4

• aim: investigate if social behaviours can be acquired by observation and imitation
• method: children (3-6) put into 3 experimental groups: aggressive, non-aggressive, control
• results: more aggressive acts after watching aggressive model, boys more aggressive than girls, more likely to imitate same-sex model
• conclusion: children able to learn social behaviour through observational learning

Question 5

What is Bandura’s bobo doll study 1963?

Answer 5

• aim: test effect of vicarious conditioning on observational learning of aggression
• method: children (2.5-6) watched film of adult punching/shouting at doll and put into 3 groups: reinforcement, punishment, and control
• results: children produced more aggressive acts after watching film where model was rewarded, boys more aggressive than girls, difference most noticeable after punishment
• conclusion: vicarious reinforcement of model has an effect on production of behaviour by observers and difference between boys and girls shows effect is mediated by cognitive factors

Question 6

What are strengths of SLT?

Answer 6

1) recognises importance of cognitive factors in learning (behaviourism doesn’t) through mediational processes - Bandura says if everyone had to make every mistake in order to learn it would be “laborious” and “hazardous”
2) principles have been applied to a range of real-world behaviours and provide useful in understanding a range of behaviours - increases value of approach
3) Bandura emphasises there is some free will in the way we behave

Question 7

What are limitations of SLT?

Answer 7

• lab studies are criticised for artificial nature where participants could respond to demand characteristics so research may tell us little about how children learn aggression in everyday life
• under-emphasises biological factors as Bandura pointed out links between biological differences and environmental differences but didn’t fully explore them