Social Learning Theory

Question 1

what is social learning theory

Answer 1

people are shaped by their environment the mechanisms of how people (particularly children) learn from others

Question 2

What does SLT tell us about how children learn

Answer 2

via observation, imitation of role models eg parents teachers oldr siblings.

Question 3

what is vicarious reinforcement

Answer 3

behaviour in a way that imitates the behavior of a role model

Question 4

what are the mediational processes

Answer 4

Attention-Retention-Reproduction-Motivation (ARRM)

Question 5

what is attention

Answer 5

noticing the behaviour, and being aware of it

Question 6

what is retention in ARRM

Answer 6

remembering the behaviour and the mechanisms involved in it

Question 7

what is reproduction in the ARRM

Answer 7

imitating the behaviour, reproducing key features of it

Question 8

what is motivation in ARRM

Answer 8

the desire to perform the behaviour, the need to be rewarded for the behaviour

Question 9

Evaluation of assumptions & key concepts of SLT: more ‘rounded’ explanation of how the environment shapes behaviour

Answer 9

-less reductionist
-less deterministic we have soe choice in our behaviour

Question 10

Evaluation of assumptions & key concepts of SLT: good application to the use of token economies in prison or health settings

Answer 10

prisoner/patient rewarded for good behavior w encourages that behavior has good external validity

Question 11

Evaluation of assumptions & key concepts of SLT: limited explanation

Answer 11

e.g. a child who frequently observes domestic violence may never be violent towards anyone else
- does not acknowledge the role of individual differences as a factor

Question 12

Evaluation of assumptions & key concepts of SLT: lab experiments

Answer 12

The controlled conditions of a lab experiment lacks social context cannot hope to replicate real life thus such research lacks ecological validity

Question 13

Aims of Banduras Research

Answer 13

Investigate SLT

Investigate effect of observable aggression on child behaviour

Investigate effect of same-sex modelling on children’s aggressive behaviour

Question 14

Procedure of Banduras research

Answer 14

72 children, rated their aggressioon before experiment, used to do matched pairs
An adult male or female model was observed per condition

three conditions of the independent variable:
Aggressive model, Non-aggressive model, Control group
child observed the behaviour of the model Each child was then taken to a room containing a Bobo Doll, aggressive toys such as a mallet and a dart gun and non-aggressive toys such as farm toys and crayons

The participants were observed in the Bobo Doll room using a one-way mirror for a duration of 20 minutes

Question 15

Findings of Banduras research

Answer 15

Children who had observed aggressive behaviour were more likely to be aggressive to doll
Boys were more physically aggressive and girls verbally
likely to imitate behaviour of same sex

Question 16

Conclusion of Banduras Research

Answer 16

aggression can be learned via SLT
Imitation of aggression can occur after single exposure to it
aggression can be observed in one setting and imitated in the other

Question 17

Evaluation of Bandura’s research: well controlled

Answer 17

standardised procedure, replicable, good reliability

Question 18

Evaluation of Bandura’s research: fuelled debate to child exposure of violence on the tele

Answer 18

Good external validity can be applied outside the experiment

Question 19

Evaluation of Bandura’s research: dont learn aggression in lab

Answer 19

irl violence normally observed in familiar settings involving familiar adults
less ecological validity

Question 20

Evaluation of Bandura’s research: ethical issues

Answer 20

nursery workers trying to rate chilkd aggression is intrusive and bias
child exposedto aggressive adult could frighten and alarm them