Social learning theory explanation for aggression

Question 1

What is the social learning theory for aggression?

Answer 1

Learning how to be aggressive through observing others and imitating aggressive behaviours that are seen to be rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)

Question 2

What role do the mediational processes play in aggression?

Answer 2

Children form mental representations of events in social situations and they will develop expectations of future outcomes – these influence whether aggressive behaviour is imitated or not

Question 3

What are the four mediational processes?

Answer 3

1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Motor reproduction
4. Motivation

Question 4

What is self-efficacy in relation to aggression?

Answer 4

The extent to which we believe our actions will achieve a desired goal – a child’s confidence in their ability to be aggressive grows as they learn that aggression can bring rewards

Question 5

What study shows support for the social learning theory of aggression?

Answer 5

Bandura et al. (1961)

Question 6

What are the three strengths of the SLT explanation of aggression?

Answer 6

Research support- There has been continued and more recent research that has revealed the influence of SLT on aggression.
Gee and Leith (2007) analysed penalty records from 200 games of the National Hockey League (NHL). They believed that players born in North America would have been exposed to more aggressive models on television when young and less likely to be punished for their aggressive play compared to players born in Europe. They found that players born in North America were much more likely to be penalised for aggressive play than players born in other countries.

Real-world application- The American Psychological Association (APA) sponsored ACT against violence, an intervention programme that aims to educate parents and others about the dangers of providing aggressive role models and to encourage parents to provide role models that are more positive instead.
Weymouth and Howe (2011) found that after completing the programme, parents demonstrated increases in positive parenting and discontinuation of physical punishment.

Cultural differences in aggression- SLT can be used to explain cultural differences in aggression.
Among the !Kung San tribe of the Kalahari Desert aggression is rare. This could be due to their child-rearing practices. When children argue or fight, parents neither reward nor punish them, but physically separate them and try to distract their attention on to other things. Parents avoid aggressive postures and they’re devalued by the society as a whole  absence of aggressive role models and absence of direct reinforcement of aggressive behaviour has led to little motivation for !Kung San children to acquire aggressive behaviours through social learning.

Question 7

What is the limitation of the SLT explanation for aggression?

Answer 7

Bandura’s study had low ecological validity- Early research on SLT relied on experimental research such as Bandura et al.’s (1961) bobo doll study, which has various methodological problems. A bobo doll is not a living creature and does not retaliate when hit. This raises questions about whether these studies tell us much about the imitation of aggression towards other human beings, who may retaliate.
Counter-argument: Bandura responded to this by having children watch a film of an adult model hitting a live clown. The children later imitated the same aggressive behaviours they had seen in the film. This suggests the imitation of aggressive behaviour is also likely towards other human beings.