Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What’s SLT?

Answer 1

The theory that explains behaviour by direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of mediational processes (cognitive factors).

Question 1

What does SLT say about gender development?

Answer 1

Bandura (1991) proposed that gender role development is the result of learning from social agents who model and reinforce gender role behaviours.

SLT state that gender development results from influence of the environment (nurture) —> The people the child comes into contact with (teachers, peers, parents, siblings etc.) and the media.

Question 2

What’s the role of indirect (vicarious) reinforcement ?

Answer 2

Children observe the behaviours of others and learn the consequence of their behaviour.
They may witness many examples of gendered behaviour at school or on the TV and from this, they gradually learn what is appropriate behaviour in the world.
They can then decide which behaviours are worth repeating. They are also only likely to repeat the behaviours of people they identify with.

Question 3

What’s the role of direct reinforcement?

Answer 3

Boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour through encouraging and discouraging behaviours depending on whether they fit with the preconceived idea of gender (differential reinforcement).

Question 4

What’s type of conditioning is used in direct reinforcement?

Answer 4

Operant

Question 5

What’s vicarious reinforcement in regards to gender development?

Answer 5

Occurs when a person witnesses a model being rewarded for behaving in a gender-appropriate way

Question 6

How is vicarious reinforcement involved in gender development?

Answer 6

A girl sees her mother putting on makeup and receiving compliments “you look pretty” which is deemed as a positive consequence.
The girl then goes into her mum’s room and puts makeup on (imitation).

Whereas, if a boy sees his male friend being teased for having a pink lunch box because it’s seen as being “girly” he won’t imitate this behavior as he has witnessed the negative consequence of this behaviour/action.

Question 7

How is gender appropriate behaviour learnt through identification + modelling?

Answer 7

Children identify with role models who have similar characteristics to them or who they want to ne.

A mother may model typically feminine behaviour and is perceived as a role model by her daughter due to their similar characteristics.

When the daughter imitates the behaviour of her mother she’s modelling what she’s seen.

Question 8

What are the 4 mediational processes that are central to learning gender behaviour?

Answer 8

• Attention
• Retention
• Motivation
• Motor reproduction

Question 9

Attention

Answer 9

may imitate a behaviour if they have paid close attention to it.

Question 10

Retention

Answer 10

the behaviour must be remembered in order to be imitated.

Question 11

Motivation

Answer 11

if they see the behaviour being rewarded it will be imitated.

Question 12

Motor reproduction

Answer 12

the child must be physically capable of replicating the behaviour or at least trying to

Question 13

What does differential reinforcement do?

Answer 13

encourages children to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour

Question 14

What is parental reinforcement?

Answer 14

Parents reinforcing certain behaviours on one gender, but punishing the other gender for the same behaviour - creates gender differences
Exert more influence when children are younger.

Question 15

What does self-efficacy have an effect on?

Answer 15

May have an effect on our own confidence about our abilities in a specific situation.

Question 16

AO3

Answer 16

• Explains changing gender roles in western countries.
• Supporting evidence
• Doesn’t explain anomalies
• Ignores nature

Question 17

explains changing gender roles in western countries

Answer 17

In the 1950s, gender stereotypes were clear-cut and distinguished for both males and females.
So, the changing behaviours can be explained by a shift in societal expectations and cultural norms over the years.

New gender behaviours are now considered appropriate for each gender and so have been reinforced. There has been no change in people’s basic biology over the years, so, this shift in gender roles can be best explained by the social learning theory of gender development.

Question 18

Supporting evidence

Answer 18

Smith and Lloyd used 6-month-old babies who, irrespective of their sex, were dressed up half the time in boys’ clothes and half the time in girls’ clothes. When interacting with adults, ‘boys’ were handed a hammer-shaped rattle and ‘girls’ were handed soft dolls to play with.

These findings suggest that gender-role stereotypes are reinforced from a young age, adding to the belief that gender is socially learned.