Social Learning Theory

Question 1

Who was it created by and when?

Answer 1

Bandura in the 1960s

Question 2

What is the definition of the social learning theory?

Answer 2

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors

Question 3

What is modelling?

Answer 3

From the observes perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model

Question 4

What is identification?

Answer 4

Where an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them so picks up on their characteristics and traits

Question 5

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 5

Seeing someone being rewarded for a certain behaviour and this influences whether someone chooses to imitate this behaviour

Question 6

Who is usually the model?

Answer 6

A peer, parent or celebrity- someone significant

Question 7

What are meditational processes?

Answer 7

Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response

Question 8

How do people learn from role models?

Answer 8

They focus their attention on what the model does, perceive what they do and remember it in order to learn it

Question 9

What are the 4 meditational processes?

Answer 9

Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation

Question 10

What is attention?

Answer 10

To learn you must pay attention to the behaviour

Question 11

What is retention?

Answer 11

You must be able to remember what you observed to be able to learn it

Question 12

What is reproduction?

Answer 12

You must judge whether you think you have the ability to imitate the behaviour

Question 13

What is motivation?

Answer 13

You must evaluate the direct and indirect results of imitating the behaviour

Question 14

What was Bandura 1961 method?

Answer 14

He used 36 girls and 36 boys with a mean age of 52 months and used a matched pairs design (based on the aggression levels the children showed at nursery). There were 3 conditions- 1) aggressive models who hit the bobo doll 2) non aggressive models who ignored the doll 3) a control condition where the children were exposed to no models

Question 15

What were the results of Bandura’s experiment?

Answer 15

Children exposed to aggressive models imitated a lot of their aggressive behaviour while the children exposed to non aggressive models and those in the control condition showed little violent behaviour. The control group had a slightly higher result of aggressive behaviour than the second group

Question 16

What were Bandura’s conclusions?

Answer 16

Aggressive behaviour is learnt through imitation of others behaving aggressively

Question 17

Evaluation of Bandura’s study?

Answer 17

It took place in a lab, there was a high control of variables meaning that the results are likely to be reliable and easily replicated however it is of low ecological validity as the participants were in artificial conditions.
Issue of demand characteristics- the purpose of a Bobo doll is to straighten it so kids may have acted in a way they were expected to- test of obedience?
Hard to generalise findings as limited sample- all kids from same school
Ethical issue- it encouraged aggression

Question 18

Some comments about Bandura’s experiment?

Answer 18

Shows that reinforcement is not needed for learning, we can learn just through observing
Highlights how SLT supports nuture sides
It is often difficult to conclude whether observational learning has took place as behaviours can be repeated a long time after they have been observed

Question 19

Evaluation of role of cognitive factors

Answer 19

Conditioning alone can not explain fully the process of learning. Humans and animals store information about the behaviours of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions. SLT provides most comprehensive explanation.

Question 20

What is a limitation of the study?

Answer 20

Underestimates the influence of biological factors e.g how boys tend to be more aggressive than girls- which could be explained by hormones and how boys have different levels of testosterone

Question 21

How is the approach reductionist?

Answer 21

It explains behaviour through basic cause and effect