Social Learning Theory - Commentary Flashcards
Describe how the role of punishments supports the SLT.
Bandura’s experiment into the roles of punishments shows that learning does take place regardless of reinforcements, but the production of it is related to selective reinforcements.
How is SLT applicable to adults?
Philips found that daily homicide rates in the US increased after a major boxing match. This suggests that viewers immitate the behaviour they watched. SL is evident within adults.
Describe how the role of vicarious learning is a strength.
Unlike operant conditioning it can explain aggressive behaviour in the absence of direct reinforcement. Bandura’s participants weren’t directly rewarded for any action.
Describe how individual differences in aggressive behaviour is a strength.
It can explain individual differences. The culture of violence theory proposes that in large societies, some subcultures develop norms that sanction violence differently to others. This can be related to selective reinforcement and context-dependant learning.
People respond differently in different situations because they have observed the appropriate behaviours to particular contexts.
Describe how the SLT is impacted by cultural differences and why.
It is supported. The reason behind comparatively rare aggression in the !Kung San tribe is due to child rearing practices. Parents neither reward or punish behaviour, nor do they use physical punishment.
There is little opportunity to learn aggressive behaviours because there is no direct reinforcement or aggressive models.
Describe how the validity in Bandura’s study is criticized and why.
It’s possible that the children were aware of the study (demand characteristics). One child reportedly said “Look Mummy, there’s the doll we have to hit.”
Focus on aggression towards a doll, not a human (who tends to hit back).
How did Bandura respond to validity criticism?
He produced a film of a young woman beating a live clown. When children went into another room, they proceeded to beat the live clown that was standing there.
