Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What is the Social Learning Theory?
It is a way of explaining behaviour that includes both
direct and indirect reinforcement; combining learning theory with the role of
cognitive factors.
What is Imitation?
It is copying the behaviour of others.
What is Modelling?
When someone is influential on an individual- they are
referred to as a model. If the individual then imitates that person’s behaviour later, it is called modelling the behaviour.
What is vicarious reinforcement
It is reinforcement which is not directly experienced
but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour.
What is the Mediational processes?
It is cognitive factors (thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.
Who was the founder of the social learning theory?
Albert bandura
What was albert banduras beliefs?
He argued that classical and operant conditioning could not account for all human learning – there are more important mental processes that
mediate between stimulus and response.
Therefore, SLT is argued not strictly to be a behaviourist approach as it does not look solely at behaviour, it also considers cognitive processes.
What is Identification in social learning theory?
When an individual is influenced by another because they are in some way similar or wish to be like them. The ‘model’ is the person with whom they identify. There are many factors influencing the choice of model by someone.
What was the banduras bobo doll study? (SLT)
Male and female children were randomly placed into one of three groups, The aggression observed an adult punching and kicking a bobo doll, the non-aggressive group observed an adult construct toys, the control group played with no model present. Then all children were allowed to play.
What are the steps within the mediational process?
Attention - grab attention
Retention - be rememberable
Reproduction - be able to be done
Motivation - have a good reward/small punishment
What are the strengths of the social learning theory
A strength of SLT is that it emphasises the cognitive factors in learning.
A further strength of SLT is that it is less determinist than the
behaviourist approach.
What are the weaknesses of the social learning theory
A limitation of SLT is that is relies too heavily on evidence from controlled lab studies.
A limitation is that SLT underestimates the influence of biological factors in behaviour.
