Social Learning theory

• What is behaviorism classed as in psychology?

  Behaviorism is classed as a learning theory.
• How do behaviors get learned according to behaviorism?

  Behaviors are learned due to stimuli-response mechanisms through interaction with the environment.
• What happens when we experience a reward for our behavior?

  We are more likely to repeat the behavior to gain the reward again.
• What is the effect of punishment on behavior according to behaviorism?

  Punishment is likely to stop us from repeating a behavior.
• What question do social learning theorists like Albert Bandura ask regarding learning from rewards and punishments?

  Do we have to experience the reward and punishment ourselves to learn the lesson?
• What do social learning theorists argue about learning behavior?

  They argue that seeing others being rewarded or punished is enough to learn how to modify our own behavior.
• What did social learning theorists have to include that behaviorists rejected?

  They had to include internal mental processes.
• What are the defining features of social learning theory?

  • Learning is a cognitive process in a social context.
  • We observe others and they act as models for our behavior.
  • Vicarious reinforcement and punishment influence our behavior.
• Who is the most prominent social learning theorist?

  Albert Bandura
• What was the aim of Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment?

  To demonstrate social learning concepts of modeling and imitation.
• What age group were the participants in Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment?

  Children between the ages of three and six.
• What did the children in the first group of the Bobo Doll Experiment observe?

  They observed an adult playing aggressively with a Bobo doll.
• What was the outcome for children who observed aggressive models in the Bobo Doll Experiment?

  They were more likely to be aggressive themselves.
• How did boys' imitation of aggression differ based on the gender of the model in Bandura's study?

  Boys were more likely to imitate aggression from a male model than from a female model.
• What did Bandura's 1963 variation of the study demonstrate about symbolic models?

  Children imitated aggressive behavior from both live and symbolic models, such as cartoons.
• What did Bandura find in his 1965 study regarding vicarious reinforcement and punishment?

  Children who observed an adult being punished were less aggressive towards the Bobo doll.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Bandura's Bobo Doll study?

  Strengths:

  • High internal validity due to controlled environment.
  • Used matched pairs design to control for participant variables.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lacks external validity; findings may not generalize to real-life situations.
  • Short-term effects of aggression only observed.
• What is the difference between learning and performance according to social learning theory?

  Learning can occur through observation and may not be immediately performed.
• What does reciprocal determinism suggest?

  Behavior is influenced by the environment, and the environment is also determined by behavior.
• What is the role of mediational factors in social learning theory?

  Mediational factors are cognitive processes that occur between observing a behavior and imitating it.
• What are the four mediational processes in social learning theory?

  1. Attention: Paying full attention to the behavior.
  2. Retention: Retaining a memory of the behavior.
  3. Reproduction: Assessing the ability to perform the behavior.
  4. Motivation: Considering the desire to perform the behavior.
• Why is attention important in the mediational processes?

  Attention is crucial because one must watch carefully to reproduce the behavior.
• What does retention refer to in the context of social learning theory?

  Retention refers to the memory of the behavior that must be retained in the mind.
• What is reproduction in the context of social learning theory?

  Reproduction is the internal process of thinking about whether one can perform the observed behavior.
• What does motivation involve in the mediational processes?

  Motivation involves considering the potential rewards or punishments for performing the behavior.
• How do mediational factors affect behavior?

  If any of the four mediational processes are missing, the behavior won't be imitated.
• How does social learning theory differ from behaviorism regarding learning and performance?

  Social learning theory states that learning can occur without immediate performance, while behaviorism equates learning with immediate performance.
• What does Bandura's research suggest about the internalization of information?

  Information learned through observation can be internalized for later use.
• What was the aim of Bandura's B study?

  To demonstrate social learning concepts of modeling and imitation.
• What did Bandura find regarding the influence of adult models on children's behavior?

  Children imitated aggressive behavior more when they observed aggressive adult models.
• What did Bandura's 1963 variation reveal about different types of models?

  Children imitated aggressive behavior from both live and symbolic models, such as cartoons.
• What was the outcome of Bandura's 1965 study regarding vicarious reinforcement?

  Children who observed an adult being punished were less aggressive towards the Bobo doll.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Bandura's Bobo Doll study?

  Strengths:

  • High internal validity due to controlled environment.
  • Used matched pairs design to control for participant variables.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lacks external validity; findings may not generalize to real-life situations.
  • Short-term effects of aggression only observed.
• What is the significance of the mediating cognitive factors in social learning theory?

  Mediating cognitive factors must be inferred from behavior, as they cannot be directly observed.
• How does social learning theory compare to behaviorism in terms of understanding human behavior?

  Social learning theory offers a more detailed understanding by considering consciousness and rationality.
• What is reciprocal determinism according to Bandura?

  Reciprocal determinism is the idea that behavior is influenced by the environment, and the environment is also determined by behavior.
• What is the significance of the matched pairs design in Bandura's study?

  The matched pairs design controlled for participant variables by assessing pre-existing aggression levels.
• What does the term ecological validity refer to in the context of Bandura's study?

  Ecological validity refers to the extent to which findings can be generalized to real-life situations.
• What is the implication of using inferences in social learning theory evaluations?

  Inferences can lead to misunderstandings about the true causes of behavior.
• How does social learning theory explain complex behaviors like aggression?

  It provides a better explanation by considering the role of consciousness and rationality.