Social learning theory

• What is the social learning theory?


  The social learning theory suggests that people learn through observing and imitating the behaviour of others, as well as through the consequences of their own actions
• What is the difference between behaviourism and social learning theory?

  Social learning theory states that it is impossible to explain human behaviour without considering the role of internal mental processes, whereas behaviourism believes it is exclusively your environment and experiences that determine your behaviour
• What are the similarities between social learning theory and behaviourism?

  • We learn through reinforcement
  • All behaviour is learnt
• What does imitation mean?


  Copying the behaviour of others
• What does identification mean?


  The observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them
• What does modelling mean?


  A role model demonstrating a specific behaviour and the observer then imitating this behaviour
• What does vicarious reinforcement mean?


  Reinforcement of a behaviour by observing someone else being rewarded for that behaviour
• What are the roles of mediational processes?

  • Attention - model has to be attended to for the behaviour to then be imitated
  • Retention - Behaviour is remembered & placed in long term memory so it can be retrieved in the future
  • Production - The observer has to be able (physically) to replicate the behaviour
  • Motivation - The observer must want to imitate the behaviour due to the expected rewards (mental representation of positive reinforcement)
• Strengths of social learning theory:

  • Offers more comprehensive explanation of human learning compared to behaviourism as it takes into account mental processes and functions
  • Lead to greater censorship of violent behaviours on TV and reduced the risk of youth replicating destructive behaviours
  • Lots of supporting evidence, e.g. Bandura's research
• Weaknesses of social learning theory:

  • Not a full explanation for all behaviour, particularly if there is no role model for a person to imitate for a given behaviour
  • Underestimates other influences such as mirror neurons in the brain
  • Issues with supporting research - Bandura's investigation had a procedure & setting which doesn't reflect real life. The children's behaviour may not accurately reflect real life
• What was the aim of the Bobo doll experiment?

  To investigate the transmission of aggression from an adult role model to a child observer
• Who conducted the bobo doll experiment?

  Bandura
• What was the sample of Bandura's experiment?

  36 boys and 36 girls from the age of 3-6 years
• What were the three conditions that children in Bandura's experiment could be subjected to?

  • An aggressive model
  • A non-aggressive model
  • No model shown (control condition)
• What was the procedure of Bandura's experiment?

  Participants were put into a room separately observing the role model's behaviour. The room contained the Bobo doll, a toy gun, hammer and other neutral toys. Aggressive model hit Bobo doll with hammer and shouted abuse. Non-aggressive model played nicely with Bobo doll. After 10 minutes, children were taken down corridor to another room. Known as 'aggression arousal' stage. In new room with same set-up , participants were observed for 20 minutes by 2 independent observers and rated on the extent they imitated the behaviour they had witnessed.
• What were the findings of Bandura's experiment?

  • Children in aggressive model made more aggressive responses than children in non-aggressive and control groups
  • Boys made more aggressive responses than girls. Boys in aggressive model showed more aggressive responses if the model was male than if it was female
  • Girls in aggressive model showed more physically aggressive responses if model was male and more verbal aggression if the model was female
• What was the conclusion of Bandura's experiment?

  Results provide evidence to support observational learning among children and role of modelled violence and imitation among children.
• Strengths of Bandura's research:

  • Inter-observer reliability - the two observers had very similar agreement
  • Scientific method - ability to be replicated and further tests acquired similar results
• Weaknesses of Bandura's experiment:

  • Ethical issues - children could have been disturbed by what they observed or replicate it further into life
  • Provides snap-shot of imitation and not the long-term impact
  • Low ecological validity - in unfamiliar environment with unknown model
• What are the 4 mediational processes?

  1. Attention
  2. Retention
  3. Production
  4. Motivation