Social Learning theory Flashcards
What are the key assumptions of the theory?
Behaviour is learnt from experience
Learning occurs in a social environment through observations and imitation
Learning can occur directly or indirectly.
What is vicarious reinforcement?
Learning through the behaviour of others. Imitation may happen if the behaviour is rewarded rather than punished.
What are the four mediational processes?
Attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation
What is modelling?
When people are more likely to imitate the behaviour of people they identify with, called role models.
What was Bandura’s study?
He recorded the behaviour of childrenm who watched adults behave aggressively towards the Bobo Doll and those who observed a non-agressive adult. The children who watched the agressive adult behaved aggressively towards the doll, showing the way the adults acted as role models.
What are the strengths of the theory?
It provides a more comprehensive explanation of behaviour using mediational processes
It has been applied to experiments such as Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment
It explains cultural differences in behaviour as people learn from their surroundings.
What are the weaknesses of the theory?
It underestimates biological factors which may have explained the behaviour in the Bobo Doll experiment
It has overreliance on lab experiments which means the children could have shown demand characteristics and therefore the results don’t represent real life.
