Social Learning theory (Bandura)

Question 1

AO1: what is SLT?

Answer 1

combines learning theory with cognitive factors. Agreed that behaviour is learned from experience, but that people learn through observation and imitation of others.

Question 2

AO1

Answer 2

vicarious reinforcement- reinforcement is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced.

mediation process- attention (extent to which we notice the behaviour), retention (how well the behaviour is remembered), motor reproduction (the ability of the observer to do the behaviour) and motivation (the will to perform the behaviour)

identification- observer associates themselves with a role model

modelling- imitating behaviour of a role model or demonstrating a behaviour.

Question 3

AO1: Bandura’s bobo doll study

Answer 3

1961 lab experiment matched pairs design
Split into 3 conditions, one witnessed an adult violently hurting the doll, another witnessed the adult play softly with the doll and third was a control.
Results showed that the children whom had observed the violent behaviour were more violent to the doll than those who had not witnessed it.

Question 4

AO3: strength- recognises the importance of cognitive factors in learning

Answer 4

P- SLT goes further than the behaviourist approach and recognises the importance of cognitive factors.
E/E- it recognises the role of mediation process. E.g. 3rd mediation process is motor reproduction which means the ability of the observer to do the behaviour
L- matters because then social learning psychologists will take into account mental processes.
HOWEVER,
P- SLT makes little reference to the influence of biological factors
E- this is because Bandura thought the learning was determined by the environment
E- new research shows observational learning may be the result of mirror neurons in the brain.
L- biological influences were under emphasised in SLT

Question 5

AO3: strength- real world application

Answer 5

P- real world application
E- has been able to explain cultural difference in behaviour
E- SLT principles such as modelling, imitation and reinforcement can show how children learn from others around them
L- provides useful in understanding a range of behaviours, such as how children come to understand their gender role.

Question 6

AO3: limitation- lab studies

Answer 6

P- most of Banduras ideas were developed through observation
E- participants may respond to demand characteristics
E- e.g. in the bobo doll experiment the children may just perform how they think they’re expected to
L- data may be less valid as not accurate

Question 7

AO3: strength- less deterministic

Answer 7

P- SLT is less deterministic than behaviourist approach
E- it considers free will unlike the behaviourist approach
E- does this by stating the idea that we decide out motivations which can be shown in the mediation process
L- is more advanced than the behaviourist approach