Social learning theory - AO1 Flashcards
What are assumptions of SLT?
- All behaviour is learnt from the environment, so it doesn’t consider genetic influence
- Behaviour is learnt from observing others and the reinforcement or punishment they recieve
- Cognitive mediational processes occur between stimulus and responses
What is modelling?
The precise demonstration of a specific behaviour for a role model, which may be imitated by an observer
- Live models: present in our environment (parents)
- Symbolic models: present in the media (celebrities)
What is imitation?
Copying the behaviour of a role model
When there is a model, whole patterns of behaviour can be learnt rapidly - unlike the relatively slow learning of conditioning
What is identification?
When an observer wants to be like a role model as they associate with them
- Model is similar to them (same gender, age)
- Model has high status/power (celebrities)
What is vicarious reinforcement?
When a behaviour has been increased by observing someone else being reinforced (i.e rewarded) for a behaviour
What are mediational processes?
Cognitive factors (i.e thought processes) that influence learning and come between (mediate) a stimulus and its response (resulting behaviour)
What are the four mediational processes and what are they involved in?
- Attention
- Retention
- Motor reproduction
- Motivation
Attention and retention are involved in learning of behaviour
Reproduction and motivation are involved in performance of behaviour
These two do not need to occur at the same time
What is attention?
The extent to which we notice a certain behaviour
What is retention?
The extent to which a behaviour is remembered
What is motor reproduction?
The extent to which a person can physically perform/recreate a behaviour
What is motivation?
The will to perform behaviour, whether it has been vicariously reinforced or punished
