Social Learning Theory

Question 1

How is behaviour learned?

Answer 1

from our environment
observing others and the reinforcement or punishment they receive

genetics is not an influence on behaviour

Question 2

what is social learning also referred to as?

Answer 2

modelling

Question 3

What are the individuals observed called?

Answer 3

Models

Question 4

What do models provide?

Answer 4

examples of behaviour to observe and imitate

Question 5

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 5

observer will take into account of what the consequences of the behaviour were for the model. If the behaviour is reinforced the observer is more likely to imitate

Question 6

who is the observer more likely to imitate?

Answer 6

people that he or she perceive as similar to themselves.

Question 7

Identification

Answer 7

The observer is more likely to imitate a model with whom they aspire to be like

Question 8

Direct Reinforcement

Answer 8

The perceived likelihood of the observer being directly reinforced or punished were they to imitate the model would influence whether the observer does imitate the model.

Question 9

What does Bandura believe?

Answer 9

That humans are active information processors and think about the relationship between their behaviour and its consequences. Observational learning could not occur unless cognitive processes were at work.

Question 10

mediational processes

Answer 10

Individuals do not automatically observe the behaviour of a model and imitate it. There is some thought prior to imitation.

Question 11

attention (mp)

Answer 11

learning through observation of a model’s behaviour

Question 12

retention (mp)

Answer 12

memorising the model’s behaviour

Question 13

reproduction (mp)

Answer 13

are they physically and mentally capable to reproduce the models behaviour?

Question 14

motivation (mp)

Answer 14

the rewards and punishments of the behaviour will be considered by the observer.

Question 15

motivation - vicarious reinforcement

Answer 15

more likely to be imitated

Question 16

motivation - direct reinforcement

Answer 16

less likely to be imitated

Question 17

Strengths of SLT

Answer 17

• takes thought processes into account so therefore SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes

Question 18

Weakness of SLT

Answer 18

• Not a full explanation of all behaviour. This is particularly the case when there is no apparent role model in the person’s like to imitate for a given behaviour.

Question 19

What was Bandura’s research?

Answer 19

• children ages 3 - 6 observed an adult model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll for 10 mins.
• the children then had to wait in another room where they weren’t allowed to play with any toys
• then they were moved to a third room where they could play with toys including the Bobo doll.

Question 20

What was Bandura’s findings?

Answer 20

• the children that witnessed the aggressive model acted more aggressive towards the doll.
• boys were more aggressive than girls
• imitation of the model was greater if the model was of the same gender as the child.