Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Who developed Social Learning Theory and when?
Albert Bandura in the 1960s
What is one similarity and one differencve between SLT and behaviourism?
Difference- SLT believes that learning and performance of behaviour don’t need to occur together
Similarity- They both believe behaviour is learnt through experience
Define Social Learning Theory
Involves cognitive processes such as observing, paying attention, remembering, choice of role models and ultimately imitating behaviour
What are the 4 assumptions of SLT?
- People learn through observation and imitation, not just through conditioning
- Role models are key to SLT and have an important influence on behaviour
- Some mediational processes are involved between stimulus and response
- Learning can occur through indirect reinforcement
What is vicarious reinforcement?
Making behaviour stronger through someone else
Seeing someone else get rewarded for a behaviour makes someone more likely to imitate a behaviour
What makes us more likely to choose someone to be a role model?
We see ourselves as similar to them, so we identify with them and view them as a role model
What are mediational processes?
The 4 processes of imitating behaviour
What are the 4 mediational processes?
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 desire to perform the behaviour, often determined by whether the original behaviour was rewarded/punished
Describe Bandura’s first experiment
-Tested 36 boys and 36 girls on aggression levels for a matched pairs design
-They were either shown a video of an aggressive model, a non aggressive model or no video at all
-They used a lab experiment so it was in high control
What were the results of this experiment?
-Kids shown the aggressive video were more aggressive with the toys
-Kids shown the non aggressive model were more likely to not be aggressive
-Kids shown no video were likely to not be aggressive
-Children were more likely to imitate same sex models
-Boys were overall more aggressive than girls
What was Bandura’s second experiment?
-Children were shown a model that was rewarded (vicarious reinforcement), punished (vicarious punishment) or no consuquence
-When given their own doll, the children were more likely to perform and imitate the aggressive behaviour if they were shown the model getting rewarded for this behaviour
How does SLT account for cultural differences?
It can explain how behaviours are different in different cultures, for example eating disorders are more common in Western societies due to the exposure to ‘slim’ models being idolised
How does SLT consider cognitive factors?
Mediational processes are used to explain the complexity and variation in human behaviour
What real-life application does SLT have?
As an example, criminal behaviour is more likely when individuals are exposed to other criminal behaviour, therefore explaining human behaviour and can lead to more positive role models
How is SLT failing to consider biological factors?
It cannot explain why factors such as gender or special needs, therefore making it an incomplete theory
