social psychological explanations; SLT

Question 1

direct vs indirect learning

Answer 1

aggression can be learnt
1. directly = through mechanisms of operant conditioning, involve positive/negative reinforcement and punishment

e.g., child angrily snatching toy off another child learns aggressive behaviour to be rewarding (obtained toy)

2. indirectly = observational learning

Question 2

observational vs vicarious learning

Answer 2

observational learning = acquisition of specific aggressive behaviours through watching aggressive models

e.g., siblings, parents, peers, tv show/media characters

vicarious reinforcement =
seeing consequence of aggressive behaviour is effective in getting what they want
= more likely child will imitate model’s aggressive behaviour

Question 3

parallel form of indirect learning

Answer 3

= vicarious punishment
- child less likely to imitate aggressive behaviour if model’s use of aggression to achieve goal is punished

Question 4

self-efficacy

Answer 4

= extent to which we believe our actions will achieve desired goal

= sense of self-efficacy develops with each successful outcome

i.e., learn aggression works and that they are good at it

Question 5

first 2 cognitive conditions for learning

Answer 5

1. attention
   = observer must pay attention to model’s aggressive actions
2. retention
   = observer needs to be able to remember model’s aggressive behaviour

• to form symbolic mental representation of performance of behaviour

Question 6

last 2 cogntive conditions for learning

Answer 6

3. reproduction
   = observer must be able to transform mental representation into actual physical action

• involve mentally approasing abiliy to do this

4. motivation
   = observer needs to reason to imitate behaviour

• depend on expectations that behaving aggressively in specific situation will be rewarding

Question 7

who conducted research into SLT

Answer 7

bandura et al (1961)

Question 8

method of bandura et al’s (1961) research

Answer 8

method
= children individually observed adult model assaulting (e.g., throwing, kicking, hitting with mallet, followed be verbal outbursts) bobo doll

• followed by short period of time where children not allowed to play with some attractive toys (create degree of frustration)
• children taken to room with bobo doll, plus few other toys (incl. ones model adult had used)

Question 9

findings of bandura et al’s (1961) research

Answer 9

• many children imitated observed behaviour, physically/verbally
• some cases imitation was virtually copy-paste of observation
• boys = imitated physical aggression and same-sex model more than girls
• verbal aggression = no diff.
• control which observed non-aggressive adult = almost no aggression in children

Question 10

strength of SLT explanation for aggression

Answer 10

research support
poulin and boivin found 9-12yr old aggressive boys formed friendships with other aggressive boys
= mutally reinforced aggressiveness through modelling

= SL processes made imitation of aggressive behaviours by boys much more likely
= as predicted by SLT

Question 11

limitation of SLT explanation for aggression

Answer 11

underestimate biological factor influences
bandura = recognised role of biology, accepted urge to be aggressive is instinctive in nature
- however, was equally clear that form aggression takes is primarily learned, nurture

= SLT barely acknowledge well established powerful genetic, evolutionary, neural and hormonal influences on aggression

= incomplete explanation of aggression

Question 12

further strength of SLT explanation for aggression

Answer 12

IRL app.
= can help reduce aggression
- one way to do so is by providing rewarded non-aggressive models = more opportunity to model such behaviours

= SLT offer practical steps to reduce development of aggressive behaviour in children