Social Learning Theory (SLT)

Question 1

What does SLT focus on?

Answer 1

Learning through observation and imitation.

Question 2

What is SLT also known as?

Answer 2

The learning approach, a development of the behaviourist approach.

Question 3

What is identification?

Answer 3

Internalising & adopting behaviours shown by a role model.

Question 4

What is a role model?

Answer 4

One whose behaviour can be imitated by an observer.

Question 5

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 5

Indirect reinforcement through observation of consequences for a model’s behaviour.

Question 6

What is imitation?

Answer 6

Learning through copying a role model’s behaviour.

Question 7

What is mental representation?

Answer 7

The mental imagery of things that are not actually present to the senses.

Question 8

What are the 3 main assumptions of SLT?

Answer 8

-Behaviour is learned through experience.
-Learning occurs through observation & imitation of role models.
-Learning can occur indirectly.

Question 9

When is imitation likely to occur?

Answer 9

-If one identifies with a role model.
-If a model is positively reinforced for a behaviour.

Question 10

What is an example of imitation?

Answer 10

Children imitating their parents’ behaviours and attitudes at first.

Question 11

How can one identify with a model?

Answer 11

Similarities.

Question 12

What are examples of things to identify with a model?

Answer 12

-Same age.
-Same gender.
-Older sibling.
-High profile media following.

Question 13

What is an example of research support for SLT?

Answer 13

Bandura (1961): Bobo Doll experiment.

Question 14

What was the aim of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 14

To investigate children’s behaviour when observing a role model.

Question 15

How many participants were there in Bandura’s case study?

Answer 15

72 children (36M, 36F):
-24 Aggressive Role Model
-Male Model (6M, 6F)
-Female Model (6M, 6F)
-24 Non-Aggressive Role Model
-Male Model (6M, 6F)
-Female Model (6M, 6F)
-24 Control Group

Question 16

What were the results of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 16

-Children that observed aggressive model acted more aggressively than the group that observed the non-aggressive model (or the control group).
-Boys imitated more aggressively than girls.
-Boys were more likely to imitate same-sex models than girls.

Question 17

What are evaluation points for Bandura’s case study?

Answer 17

-Ignores hormonal differences (e.g. boys having more testosterone).
-Reliable & replicable (due to strict control over variables).
-Lack of ecological validity: the model and the child are strangers, unlike ‘real life’ modeling (takes place within the family).

Question 18

What is the mediational process?

Answer 18

What lies between stimulus and response.

Question 19

What is the acronym for the mediational process?

Answer 19

ARRM.

Question 20

What are the four parts of the meditational process?

Answer 20

Attention.
Retention.
Reproduction.
Motivation.

Question 21

What is attention (to the role model)?

Answer 21

Paying attention to the model’s behaviour.

Question 22

What is retention (of the observed behaviour)?

Answer 22

Forming a mental representation of the model’s behaviour.

Question 23

What is reproduction (of the target behaviour)?

Answer 23

Transforming mental representation to physical action. This involves mentally appraising one’s ability to do so.

Question 24

What is motivation (to imitate the observed behaviour)?

Answer 24

A reason or urge to imitate the behaviour.

Question 25

What are strengths of SLT?

Answer 25

-More rounded explanation of complex behaviours than behaviourist approach (e.g. aggression, eating disorders, smoking).
-Research support (e.g. Bandura’s Bobo Doll).

Question 26

What are weaknesses of SLT?

Answer 26

-Ignores biological factors (e.g. testosterone levels).
-Deterministic: takes accountability away from one’s actions.