Social Learning Theory Flashcards
What is the social learning theory (SLT)
A way of explaining behaviour that includes direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors
What did Bandura assume about our learning behaviour
Agreed with behaviourist in that behaviour is learned from experience however his SLT proses that people learn through observation and imitation of others within a social context
How is behaviour learnt directly
Classical and operant conditioning
How is behaviour learnt indirectly
Observation and imitation of others within a social context
What is vicarious reinforcement
Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour
How does vicarious reinforcement work in learning behaviour
An individual observes the behaviour of others. The leaner observes the consequences of a behaviour and may imitate if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded.
What are mediational processes
Cognitive factors (e.g. thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
What are the 4 mediational processes and what do they mean
1) attention - extent to which we notice certain behaviours
2) retention - how well the behaviour is remembered
3) motor reproduction - ability to perform behaviour
4) motivation - the will to perform the behaviour
What is meant by identification
When and observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model
How does identification effect learning behaviours
People (mainly children) are likely to imitate the behaviour of someone whom they identify with. This is called their role model and the process is called modelling. Someone can be a role model if they have a high status (e.g. celebrities)
What is a strength of SLT
SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of meditational processes
What is a limitation of SLT
Underestimates the influence of biological factors - Bandura makes little reference to the impact of biological factors. E.g. a consistent finding of the bobo doll experiment is that boys were often more aggressive than girls. This can be explained by hormonal factors such as testosterone which is linked to aggressive behaviour. This means that this important influence on behaviour is not accounted for in SLT
