Social learning theory

Question 1

What is the basic assumption of Social Learning Theory?

Answer 1

Behaviour is learned through observation and imitation of others within a social context.

Question 2

What does Social Learning Theory emphasize compared to the behaviourist approach?

Answer 2

SLT emphasizes the role of cognitive factors in learning, unlike the behaviourist approach which focuses solely on stimulus-response links.

Question 3

What is imitation in the context of Social Learning Theory?

Answer 3

Copying the behaviour of a role model observed in the environment.

Question 4

What is identification in Social Learning Theory?

Answer 4

When an individual associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them.

Question 5

What is modelling in Social Learning Theory?

Answer 5

When a role model demonstrates a specific behaviour that is then imitated by an observer.

Question 6

What is vicarious reinforcement in Social Learning Theory?

Answer 6

Learning that occurs by observing the consequences of another person’s behaviour, rather than directly experiencing the reinforcement.

Question 7

What are the four mediational processes proposed by Bandura?

Answer 7

Attention, Retention, Motor Reproduction, and Motivation.

Question 8

What does the attention mediational process involve?

Answer 8

Focusing on a role model and their behaviour to learn it.

Question 9

What does the retention mediational process involve?

Answer 9

Storing the observed behaviour in memory to be recalled later.

Question 10

What does the motor reproduction mediational process involve?

Answer 10

The physical ability to perform the behaviour observed.

Question 11

What does the motivation mediational process involve?

Answer 11

The willingness to replicate the behaviour, often influenced by vicarious reinforcement.

Question 12

What was Bandura’s famous research study on Social Learning Theory?

Answer 12

The Bobo doll experiment.

Question 13

What did Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment demonstrate?

Answer 13

Children imitated aggressive behaviour toward the Bobo doll after observing a role model act aggressively.

Question 14

What were the key findings of Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment?

Answer 14

Children were more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour if the model was rewarded, demonstrating the importance of vicarious reinforcement.

Question 15

How does Social Learning Theory explain individual differences in behaviour?

Answer 15

Differences arise because people observe and imitate different role models based on their environment and experiences.

Question 16

What was the aim of Bandura et al. (1961) study?

Answer 16

The aim was to investigate whether children would imitate aggression modeled by an adult and whether imitation was influenced by the model’s gender.

Question 17

What was the method used in Bandura et al. (1961) study?

Answer 17

It was a laboratory experiment using 72 children aged 3-6 years from Stanford University Nursery.

Question 18

How were participants grouped in Bandura’s study?

Answer 18

Participants were divided into three groups: one observed an aggressive model another a non-aggressive model and a control group saw no model.

Question 19

What did the aggressive model do in Bandura’s study?

Answer 19

The aggressive model hit a Bobo doll with a mallet kicked it and verbally attacked it using phrases like “Sock him in the nose!”

Question 20

What did the non-aggressive model do in Bandura’s study?

Answer 20

The non-aggressive model played calmly with toys and ignored the Bobo doll.

Question 21

What were the findings regarding gender differences in Bandura’s study?

Answer 21

Boys imitated more physical aggression than girls but both genders were equally likely to imitate verbal aggression.

Question 22

What was concluded from Bandura et al. (1961) study?

Answer 22

Children learn social behavior such as aggression through observation and imitation of models supporting Social Learning Theory.

Question 23

What is a strength of Bandura’s study related to control?

Answer 23

The study had high control over variables such as ensuring children were equally aggressive at baseline using pre-testing.

Question 24

What is a criticism of Bandura’s study regarding ecological validity?

Answer 24

The study was conducted in an artificial setting with a Bobo doll which may not represent real-world aggression.

Question 25

What is a strength of Bandura’s study in terms of applications?

Answer 25

The study has practical applications such as informing policies on media content and understanding how role models influence behavior.

Question 26

What is a limitation of Bandura’s study related to ethical concerns?

Answer 26

The study raised ethical issues such as exposing children to aggressive behavior which could have long-term effects.

Question 27

How does Bandura’s study support Social Learning Theory?

Answer 27

It demonstrates that behavior can be learned through observation and imitation without direct reinforcement.