Social learning theory Flashcards
What is the social learning theory applied to aggression?
-The explanation that people learn aggressive behaviour from both direct and indirect learning
How might aggression be learned through direct learning?
-Direct learning = operant conditioning
-For example, a child that snatches a toy of a child will be rewarded for aggressive behaviour as they get a new toy
How might aggression be learned through indirect learning?
-indirect learning = observational learning + vicarious reinforcement
-argued that children learn aggressive behaviour through observational learning from models such as parents ,siblings, peers and characters in media
-If a model’s aggressive behaviour is rewarded, they imitate the behaviour as a means to get what they want- vicarious reinforcement
-If a model’s behaviour is punished, they will know the consequences for aggressive behaviour and it will not be imitated- vicarious punishment
Which type of learning did Bandura suggest humans learnt aggressive behaviour from the most?
-indirect learning
What were Bandura’s 4 cognitive conditions for learning?
-Attention: observers must watch aggressive behaviour
-Retention: Observers must remember the aggressive behaviour to form a mental representation of the behaviour
-Motor reproduction: The observer may be able to perform their mental representation of the aggressive behaviour
-Motivation: the observer needs a reason to imitate behaviour which relies on the rewards he will reap from it
Why is self-efficacy significant for the observer imitating aggressive behaviour?
-It is the extent to which our behaviour will achieve its desired goal
-A childs confidence to be aggressive grows as they learn aggression can bring rewards.
-Therefore success in being aggressive will lead children being more aggressive in the future as they think it will work
What did Bandura’s Bobo doll (1961) study illustrate about how aggression is learned?
-children observe adults assault bobo doll with a range of weapons such as a mallet
-children were stopped from using toys for a while which caused frustration, they were then placed in the room with the bobo doll and many toys the adult used
-Without instruction the children imitated the adults behaviour.
-Boys imitated more aggression than girls, apart from verbal aggression which was equal
-Control group where children observed non-aggressive adults which led to non-exsistent aggression from children on bobo doll.
Strengths of SLT for aggression?
-Real world application: Children imitate aggressive behaviour when they see models who they identify be rewarded for aggressive behaviour. Therefore, a way to reduce aggressive behaviour is to provided rewarded non-aggressive models. The same learning process can lead to non-aggressive behaviour being imitated. Therefore providing more media characters that are rewarded for non-aggressive behaviour would reduce aggression. Therefore SLT offers a practical effect to reduce aggression
-Research support from Boivin and Poulin (2000): found that aggressive boys formed friendships with other aggressive boys which reinforced each boys aggressive behaviour through modelling. For example observing proactive bullying ( getting what they want) and therefore provided vicarious reinforcement for aggressive behaviour. Therefore, vicarious reinforcement made aggressive behaviour by the boys much more likely.
-However, the study did not find a link for reactive aggression which is from a heat of the moment reaction. The researchers found the boys were much more less likely to be influenced by the boys reactive outbursts of aggression which may be explained by the consequences of the aggression not being predictable as not always rewarded. Therefore SLT is limited as no explanation for reactive aggression.
Weaknesses for SLT explanation for aggression?
-Biological influences : SLT is largely ignored in the role of aggression as it is regarded that aggressive behaviours are due to nurture, despite little urge to be aggressive in everyone’s nature. However, there appears to be a large genetic and hormonal and neural influence on aggression. Therefore SLT is an incomplete explanation as it ignores biological explanation.
