Social learning theory (LT)

Question 1

Strength

Answer 1

** I -** A strength of social learning theory is that there is research evidence to support it.
** J -** For example, Bandura’s studies on children demonstrate that children were more likely to imitate an aggressive model if the model was the same sex. Furthermore in his 1965 study he demonstrates that if the model was given a reward for their actions, the children are also more likely to imitate the aggression.
E - therefore, this evidence supports Bandura’s claimd that behaviour can be aquired by observation and imitation and that vicarious reinforcemnt affects the likelihood of the imitations

Question 2

Weakness (with counter)

Answer 2

I - A weakness of social learning theory is that evidence shows that genetic factors are important as well as environmental influences.
J - Kendler et al (2015) showed that identical twins are more similar in their levels of aggression than non-identical twins. This strongly suggests that individual differences in social behaviour like aggressiveness are genetically influenced and not simply a product of different experiences of modelling.
E - Therefore, social learning theory is not a complete explanation for the acquisition of all types of behaviour.

COMPETING ARGUMENT:
Bandura did not entirely ignore biological factors. He claimed that behaviours are not solely determined by social learning – it is the way it is expressed that is learned, not the actual urge to be aggressive.