Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What are the key assumptions of the Social Learning Theory

Key words: environment, observed, rewards

Answer 1

• Behaviour is learned from environment (genetics influences are disregarded)
• Behaviour is learned through observing others and the reinforcement/ punishment
• Behaviour that is observed being rewarded, is imitated

Question 2

Define

1. Modelling
2. Imitation
3. Identification
4. Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 2

M: individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual ( a role model) and imitating it
Im: the action of copying an observed behaviour
Id: the extent to which an individual relates to a model and feels like he/she is similar (more likely to imitate if they identify with the role model)
VR: observing the positive consequences of a models behaviour making imitation more likely

Question 3

What was the aim of Bandura’s study

Answer 3

To examine the role of a model on influencing aggressive behaviour on children

Question 4

What was Bandura’s procedure to examine aggression

Answer 4

Controlled observation. 36 boys, 36 girls aged 3-6.
Stage 1. 1/2 children were put in a room one at a time and observed an aggressive role model e.g. hitting doll with hammer and 1/2 children observed a non aggressive role model
Stage 2. Children were taken into a room with a range of toys and their behaviour was observed for 20 minutes to see the extent of imitation

Question 5

What did Bandura find

Answer 5

Children who observed the aggressive model displayed far more imitative aggressive responses than children than children in the non aggressive condition.

Question 6

How do Bandura’s theories differ from operant and classical conditioning

Answer 6

Social learning theory considers cognitive processes and views humans as active information processors

Question 7

Give two weaknesses and two strengths of Bandura’s study

Answer 7

Weaknesses: the effects of social learning are only shown in the short term in this study, issues with validity as it may be that the children were aggressive towards the Bobo doll as that’s what it’s designed for so doesn’t show the effects of social learning
Strengths: the procedure is easy to recreate and will give the same results (replicable), there are some ethical issues in the fact that the study teaches children how to be aggressive