Social Psychological Explanations: SLT Flashcards
What did banderas SLT acknowledge
That aggression can be learned directly through operant conditioning
Give an example of operant conditioning in aggression
Child who angrily snatches a toy learns aggression brings on rewards
What explains most aggressive behaviourd
Observational learning
Explain observational learning in aggression
- A child of service models being aggressive and works out how aggressive behaviour is performed
- children also observe the consequences of the models aggressive behaviour - if it is rewarded the child learns aggression can be effective in getting what they want
What is vicarious reinforcement
Makes it more likely that the child will imitate the models aggressive behaviour after seeing them being rewarded
What are the four cognitive conditions needed for observational learning
- Attention
- Retention
- Reproduction
- Motivation
What is attention
Observing behaviour
What is retention
Remembering observed behaviour and forming mental representation
What is reproduction
Observer repeats behaviour
What is motivation
Observer imitates behaviour If they have expectations of being rewarded
What is self-efficiency
The extent to which we believe our actions will achieve a desired goal
How does a child’s confidence in their ability to be aggressive grow
As they learned that aggression can bring rewards
What did Bandura study
Social learning of aggression
What was Bandura’s procedure
Young children individually observed and adult model playing with a hobo doll, some children observe the model behaving aggressively, children were taken into another room where there was a Bobo doll
What were Bandura’s findings
Children in the aggressive condition imitated behaviour they observed - direct copying
Children in non aggressive condition showed almost no aggression
Name a strength of the SLT
Benefits of non-aggressive models - people shape their own aggressive behaviour by choosing situations which reward aggression - can be applied in reducing aggressive behaviour by providing non-aggressive models in the media
Name a weakness of SLT
Cultural differences - different cultures have different norms about behaviour ps being reinforced - some cultures encourage aggression and some don’t - suggests there is more aggressive than social learning - may instinctive and therefore a biological approach is more valid
