social learning theory

• what is the social learning theory ?

  a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive features. proposes people learn through observing, modelling and imitating others
• what is imitation?


  copying the behaviours of others
• what is identification ?

  when an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model
• what is modelling?

  • from the observers perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model.
  • from the models perspective, modelling is the demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer
• what is vicarious reinforcement?

  reinforcement that is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour. this is a key factor of imitation
• what is mediational processes?

  cognitive factors (ie thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
• assumptions

  • ALBERT BANDURA agreed w behaviourists that behaviour is learned from experience. however his social learning theory proposed a diff way people learn, through observation and imitation of others.
  • SLT suggests learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning, but also indirectly
• the four mediational processes(ARMM) identified by BANDURA:

  • attention=the extent to which we notice certain behaviours
  • retention=how well the behaviour is remembered
  • motor reproduction= the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
  • motivation= will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
• the role of mediational processes

  • attention + retention = learning of behaviour
  • motor reproduction + motivation = performance of behaviour
• identification

  • people (especially children) are more likely to imitate people they identify with, this process is called identification
  • the person they identify with is called a role model and the process of imitating a role model is called modelling
• BANDURA’S RESEARCH (1961) study A

  • Bandura et al. (1961) recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards a Bobo doll. The adult hit the doll with a hammer and shouted abuse at it
  • when children were observed playing with toys, including Bobo doll, they behaved more aggressively towards the doll and other toys than those who had observer a non-aggressive adult
• BANDURA & RICHARD WALTERS 1963) research B

  • bandits and walters (1963) showed videos to children where an adult behaved aggressively towards the Bobo doll. One group of children saw adult praised for their behaviour.
  • a second group saw adult being punished for their aggression towards the doll by being told off.
  • the third group (control group) saw aggression without any consequences
  • when given their own bobo doll to play w, first group showed more aggression, followed by third group, then second
• EVALUATION: cognitive factors

  • one strength of the SLT approach is it recognises cognitive (mental processes) factors in learning
  • suggests SLT provides more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes. COUNTERPOINT: SLT has been criticised for making too little reference to the influence of biological factors on social learning. Bandura thought learning itself was determined by the environment, however evidence shows observational learning may be a result of mirror neurons
• EVALUATION: contrived lab studies

  • one limitation of SLT is that the evidence on which it was based was gathered through lab studies
  • lab studies are criticised for patients potentially responding to demand characteristics
• EVALUATION: real world application

  • a strength is SLT principles have been applied to real world behaviours
• • bandura emphasised reciprocal determinism, that we are not merely influenced by our extended environment, but we also exert an influence through the behaviours we choose to perform.
  • suggest there is some free will in behaviour