The Social Learning Theory

Question 1

Social learning theory

Answer 1

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement

Question 2

Imitation

Answer 2

Copying behaviour of others

Question 3

Modelling

Answer 3

Imitating the behaviour of a role model

Question 4

Identification

Answer 4

When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model

Question 5

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 5

Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour

Question 6

Assumptions of SLT

Answer 6

Behaviour is learned from experience
We learn through observation and imitation of others within a social context
Learning occurs directly and also indirectly
Concerned with human rather than animal behaviour

Question 7

What can the learner observe from vicarious reinforcement

Answer 7

Observe the consequences of a behaviour and imitation of the positive reinforced behaviour

Question 8

Who were the mediational processes made by

Answer 8

Bandura

Question 9

In what years was the social learning theory developed?

Answer 9

1960s

Question 10

Mediational processes

Answer 10

Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation

Question 11

Attention

Answer 11

Noticing certain behaviours of an individual

Question 12

Retention

Answer 12

Remembering the certain actions

Question 13

Reproduction

Answer 13

Observer to perform the behaviour

Question 14

Motivation

Answer 14

The will to perform the behaviour

Question 15

Who makes a good role model

Answer 15

Same age
Same gender
Older sibling
High profile media personality

Question 16

When is imitation more likely to occur

Answer 16

When a model is positively reinforced (vicarious reinforcement)

Question 17

3 conditions of bobo doll experiment

Answer 17

• aggressive model shown to 24
• non aggressive model shown to 24
• no model shown to 24

Children then placed in room with bobo doll

Question 18

Results of bobo doll experiment

Answer 18

• Children who observed the aggressive model acted more aggressively towards bobo doll than other groups
• boys imitated more physically aggressive than girls
• boys more likely to imitate same sex model than girls

Question 19

Limitations of bobo doll experiment

Answer 19

• artificial, child and model were strangers
• demand characteristics children may have thought they were expected to hit the bobo
• ethics - psychological harm to children (watching aggressive content)

Question 20

Strengths of SLT

Answer 20

• considers role of cognitive factor in learning
• based on lab experiments
• explains the learning of complex behaviours such as aggression
• successfullly applied to many areas of psychology
• application to film certification age appropriate content
• it has experimental support
• more complete explanation of human behaviour than conditioning

Question 21

Negatives of SLT

Answer 21

Does not take into account influence of biological factors on behaviour

Question 22

In the bobo doll experiment how long were the children observed for

Answer 22

20 minutes

Question 23

How often were the children’s behaviour noted down

Answer 23

Every 5 seconds