Social Learning Theory Flashcards
Social learning Theory
Wave explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
Imitation
Copying the behaviours of others
Modelling
Imitating the behaviour of a role model. Precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that maybe imitated by an observer.
Vicarious reinforcement
-Reinforcement which is not
directly experience because through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour.
-this is a key factor in imitation
Mediational processes
– Cognitive factors (i.e thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
Albert Bandura theory
– Agreed with the behaviourist that much of our behaviour is learned from experience.
– However his social learning theory proposed a different way in which people learn: through observation and imitation of others within a social context, thus social learning
The role of mediational processes (explain)
– Social learning theory focuses on how mental factors are involved in learning. These mental factors mediate in the learning process to determine whether a new responses required.
For mediational processes identified by Bandura:
– Attention: the extent to which we noticed certain behaviours.
– Retention: how well the behaviour is remembered.
– Motor reproduction: the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour.
– Motivation: the will to perform the behaviour which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished.
Identification
– People (especially children) and would like me to imitate the behaviour of people with whom they identify, called role models.
-this process is called modelling. A person becomes a role model if they all seem to possess similar characteristics to the observer and all are attractive and have high status.
Evaluation: the importance of cognitive factors in learning
– Neither classical nor operant conditioning can offer an adequate account of learning on their own.
- humans and animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it’s appropriate to perform certain actions.
- social learning theory provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes.
Evaluation: over reliance on evidence from lab studies.
Many of Benders ideas were developed through observation of young children’s behaviours in lab settings.
- This is criticised for their controlled nature where participants may respond to demand characteristics.
- In relation to the Bobo doll research. because the main purpose of the dullest strike it the children were simply behaving in a way that they thought was expected.
- The research may tell us a little about how children actually learn aggression in every day life under normal settings.
Bobo doll experiment 1
-Bandura et al. (1961) recorded behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards the Bobo dol.
-I don’t hit Bobo doll with a hammer and shouted abuse at it.
– When the children were later observed playing with the various toys, including the Bobo doll, they behaved much more aggressively towards the door and the other toys than those who observed a non-aggressive adult.
Bandura dollars experiment 2
– Under and Walters (1963) showed videos to children when I don’t behaved aggressively towards the Bobo doll.
– One group of children so that I don’t be praised for their behaviour.
– Second group so the adult punished for their aggression towards the doll.
-The third group which was a control group so the aggression without any consequence.
- when given the Bobo doll to play with, the first group showed much more aggression, followed by the third group who showed the second most aggression, and then the second which show the least aggression
Evaluation: underestimate the influence of biological factors
-under makes little references to the impact of biological factors on social learning.
– Boys are often more aggressive than girls regardless of the specifics of the experimental situation which was a consistent finding in the Bobo doll experiment.
-May be explained by hormonal factors, such as different levels in testosterone, present in greater quantities in boys and girls and which is linked to increase in aggressive behaviour.
Evaluation: less determinist than behaviourist approach
-Pandora emphasised reciprocal determinism, we are not merely influenced by external environment, but we also exert an influence upon it, through the behaviours we choose to perform. This suggests that there are some free will in the way we behave.
