Social Learning Theory (SLT)

Question 1

What does the social learning theory suggest

Answer 1

That learning occurs both directly through classical and operant conditioning and indirectly through vicarious reinforcement

Question 2

What is the assumption of the SLT

Answer 2

• Humans naturally learn through observation
• Mediational processes determine whether a student follows the behaviors they observe

Question 3

Explain how Humans naturally learn through observation

Answer 3

An observer identifies themself with a desirable role model.This role model displays behaviour which is imitated by the observer.The observer is more likely to do what the role model does.Therefore through vicarious reinforcement they are even more likely to do what the role model does

Question 4

What is a role model

Answer 4

A person whom the observer identifies with.

Question 5

What are features of a role model

Answer 5

Someone attractive
Has a high social status
Of similar age
Same gender

Question 6

Define identification

Answer 6

The process by which an observer relates/ associates themselves with a role model and aspires to become like the role model

Question 7

What is vicarious reinforcement

Answer 7

A type of indirect learning which occurs when an observer sees their role model being rewarded for displaying a certain behaviour the observer is then motivated to do this behaviour

Question 8

What is the mediational process

Answer 8

A cognitive process which mediate/intervene between stimulus and response

Question 9

What other approach does the SLT agree with

Answer 9

The behaviourist appraoch howver They differ from the fact that SLT believes that we can learnt both directly and indirectly.(observartion)

Question 10

Define social learning theory

Answer 10

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement combining learning theory wiht the role of cognitive factors

Question 11

Define the 4 mediational processes

Answer 11

Attention-The extent to which we notice certain behaviours
Retention- how well the behaviour is rembered
Reproducition-The ability of the observer to perform the behvaiour
Motivation-The will to perform the behaviour

Question 12

What is a con of Albert Banduras bobodoll study (3)

Answer 12

• The enivornment was in a lab where demand charctistcsts ,may take place affected the results if teh study
• It was suggested that the children were simply acting in the way they thought was expected
• Another con was that he did not use biological factors for example boys were more aggressove as they have more test

Question 13

What is vicarious punishment

Answer 13

Witnessing someone getting punished for an action that makes us less likely to adopt that behaviour

Question 14

What are some factors that effect identificagion

Answer 14

Gender
age
attraction
high status

Question 15

What is the role of mediational processes

Answer 15

Mediational process explains why individuals do not automatically mimic behaviour they observe. This is because if any of the 4 mediational processes are missing the behaviour will not be imitated

Question 16

WHat is an example of a diff between behaviourisn and SLT

Answer 16

• Learning and performance is the same activity in Behaviourism
• However with SLT they are not the same
• e.g. if someone learns through observation they think they can keep that memory until the appropiate time to use it—>the info has been internalised to be used at a later time

Question 17

What are the two pros of the SLT

Answer 17

• It is supported by robust evidence for example the bobo doll has high internal validity due to the labrotaory seting —>Which ensured environmental control by having participants follow the same procedure in the same room with access to identical toys.
• It uses a matched pair design to control participant variables assessing childrens pre existing aggression levels to ensure each group contained an eqaul mix of aggressive children

Question 18

Discuss why SLT is a better approach than behaviousts (3)

Answer 18

• SLT acknlowkedges the roles of consciousness and rationality
• This provides a more beliveable explaination for complex behaviours like aggression
  *Behavioursm focuses on simplistic response mechanisms which may only be appropiate in explaining the learning of basic behaviours
  *SLT is less of a reductionist approach giving more detailed and potenially more valid understanding of human behaviours

Question 19

What are the cons of SLT (3)

Answer 19

• Lacks external validity–> the findings on aggression only show the short term effects of social learning as aggresion may not be imitated weeks or months later
• Lab settings may not directly translate into real world scenarios reducing the ecological validity which raises the concern if the SLT can really be applied to real lfe
• Relies of infernces as identification wiht a model , vicarious reinforcement and midiating cognitve factors canno be observed but are inferred from th ebhevaiours hsown by the ppts and these infernces could be inccorect so it lacks scientific