Social learning theory

Question 1

What is social learning theory?

Answer 1

People learn behaviours by observing other people, particularly those who they look up to

Question 2

What are the key stages of social learning?

Answer 2

• modelling
• observation
• imitation
• vicarious reinforcement (seeing someone else receive rewards for their behaviour can motivate people to behave a certain way)

Question 3

What is attention?

Answer 3

The learner pays attention to the important parts of the behaviour being observed

Question 4

What is retention?

Answer 4

The important details of the observed behaviour are stored in the learners memory

Question 5

What is reproduction?

Answer 5

Once the modelled behaviour is in memory it will be reproduced

Question 6

What is motivation?

Answer 6

likelihood of a person repeating the behaviour will depend on the reinforcements which will follow the behaviour

Question 7

Bandura 1961 : Aim

Answer 7

To investigate if children will imitate verbal and physical aggression from an adult role model.

Question 8

Bandura 1961 : Sample

Answer 8

• 72 children ( 36 boys, 36 girls)
• mean age 4 years 4 months
• Standford university nursery
• matched on pre existing aggressiveness rated on 5 point scale

Question 9

Bandura 1961 : Procedure

Answer 9

• 24 children watched a male/ female model playing with tinker for 1 minute before behaving aggressively towards bobo doll.
• 24 children were exposed to non aggressive model who played quietly for 10 minutes
• 24 were used as control group and not exposed to any model
• aggression arousal ( children taken to room with attractive toys and told other children deserve them more)
• test for delayed aggression (exposed to aggressive and non aggressive toys . Children were in room for 20 minutes and observed through one way mirror. Observations made at 5 second intervals.

Question 10

Bandura 1961 : Results

Answer 10

• Boys reproduced more physical aggression, verbal aggression and gun play more than girls when exposed to male model

Question 11

Bandura 1961 : Conclusions

Answer 11

Support social learning theory as suggest children learn behaviours such as aggression through observation learning.

Question 12

Bandura 1963 : Aim

Answer 12

To investigate if observing aggression in films will result in different levels of imitation than observing live models

Question 13

Bandura 1963 : Sample

Answer 13

• 96 children (48 boys, 48 girls)
• Standford university nursery
• Aged 3-6 years

Question 14

Bandura 1963 : Procedure

Answer 14

-Three experimental groups : real life aggression, film aggresion,cartoon aggression
- mild aggression arousal
behaviours observed in one way mirror every 5 seconds for 20 minutes

Question 15

Bandura 1963 : Results

Answer 15

• Children were most likely to imitate a cartoon character ( 99) whereas the real life aggression was 83

Question 16

Bandura 1965 : Aim

Answer 16

Investigate the impact of vicarious reinforcement on children’s imitation pf aggression

Question 17

Bandura 1965 : Sample

Answer 17

• 66 children (33 girls, 33 boys)
• aged between 3.5- 6 years
• Standford university nursery

Question 18

Bandura 1965 : Procedure

Answer 18

• Model rewards with soft drink or model punished (hit with newspaper)
• Children watched Tv show for 5 minutes of model behaving badly towards a bobo doll and giving 4 distinctive aggressive responses ( sitting on the doll, hitting the doll, kicking the doll and throwing rubber balls at the doll)
• Children taken into room left to play with bobo doll, observed through one way mirror for 10 minutes

Question 19

Bandura 1965 : Results

Answer 19

• Significantly higher number of imitative responses were recorded when model was exposed to model rewarded

Question 20

Bandura 1965 : Conclusion

Answer 20

• Many variables affect behaviours including observed consequences

Question 21

Becker 2002 : Aim

Answer 21

Assess impact of novel and prolonged exposure to television on eating behaviour and attictiudes

Question 22

Becker 2002 : Sample

Answer 22

• 128 adolescent girls (63 in 1995 and 65 in 1998)
• mean age 17
• native Fijians and fluent English speakers
• Written informed consent

Question 23

Becker 2002 : Procedure

Answer 23

• Quantitative data collected by participants completing EAT26 questionnaire about eating habits, score of 20 or above was considered high
• Additional interview questions about use of television
• Qualitative data included narratives about feelings since introduction of tv
• In 1998, asked additional questions eg ‘ do you ever think you look too big or too fat?’

Question 24

Becker 2002 : Results

Answer 24

• 1995 reported self induced vomiting to control weight 0% 1998 11.3%
• 1995 felt too big or too fat (no data) 1998 74%

Question 25

Becker 2002 : Conclusions

Answer 25

Links changes to increase in tv watching and subsequent identification with media models