Social Learning Theory

• What is Social Learning Theory?

  Assumption that behaviour is learned from the environment through observation and imitation.
• What is Vicarious reinforcement?

  Occurs through observing someone being reinforced for a behaviour - an example of indirect learning. People are more likely to imitate behaviour if it is seen to be rewarded rather than punished - observes the consequences before deciding whether to imitate.
• What is identification?

  More likely to imitate the behaviour of people of whom they identify with or look up to - role models. More likely to imitate if seen to possess similar characteristics e.g age, gender or are attractive and have high status.
• What are the mediational processes?

  • Attention: pay attention to models actions
  • Retention: form a mental representation of how behaviour is performed.
  • Reproduction: transform the mental representation of the behaviour into a physical action.
  • Motivation: needs to be motivated to perform action.
• What is a key study of the approach?

  Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment
• What is the method of the Bobo Doll experiment?

  • Young American children individually observe an adult model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo Doll - kicking, punching, verbal outbursts.
  • Children were taken to another room with a Bobo doll and was observed.
  • A control group of children observed an adult model behaving non-aggressively towards the doll.
• What are the findings of the experiment?

  • Many children who observed aggressive behaviour imitated the behaviour almost a direct copy including phrases.
  • Aggressive behaviour towards the doll by children in the non-aggressive condition was almost non-existent.
  • Supports SLT of aggression
• What is the research support?

  Bandura's doll experiment - supports SLT assumption of aggression that aggression is observed and imitated.
• What are practical applications of the theory?

  Age ratings on films - prevent young people from witnessing violence on films, tv and video games to limit their exposure. Badura linked aggression with observation and imitation.
• What is a limitation of the approach?

  Environmentally reductionist. Biological approach - Bobo's dolls findings can be linked to higher testosterone in boys which is linked to aggression. It only offers a partial explanation of bheaviour.