Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Who came up with social learning theory?
Bandura
What are the 4 criteria needed for behaviours to be imitated?
attention, retention, reproduction and motivation
What does the SLT state an individual will do? (role model)
IIC:
- identify with role model who is same gender, similar age, high status, powerful in some way and respected
- idolise role model
- copy behaviour of role model - likely to occur if they are a gang leader or involved in criminal activity
What do the results of Bandura’s study highlight?
The potential risk for children who are exposed to criminal behaviour from a young age
Attention and media violence:
By watching TV, films or video games we follow a storyline which requires attention
Retention and reproduction and media violence:
Special effects and violence from media may seem interesting and so is retained and could be copied
Motivation and media violence:
People in media are usually well respected, high status and attractive which can appeal to younger people and make them more likely to copy behaviours
How is Huesman and Eron a strength?
- recorded number of hours of TV watched by children at a 8 years old regardless of whether the content was aggressive or not and tracked behaviours of child as they grew up
- in teenage years - more TV watched as a child meant more likely to be aggressive
- in adult years - more TV watched as a child meant more likely to be arrested for crimes
How is Williams et al a strength?
found that when children received TV for the first time, they showed significant increases in physical and verbal aggression
(contradicts Charlton et al)
How is Charlton et al a weakness?
- TV was received for first time in St Helena in 1995
- there was no significant changes in antisocial behaviour after TV was introduced
Weakness?
ecological validity - a lot of the studies were conducted in lab environments to enable variables to be isolated, which may have influenced or not influenced violence due to feeling anxious
