learning occurs directly and indirectly through observation and imitation
acknowledges the role of mediational thought processes - they intervene in the learning process to determine whether or not a behaviour will be imitated
Key features:
imitation
identification
modelling
vicarious reinforcement
mediational processes
Aim of Bandura's research - investigate the effect of observational learning on aggressive behaviours in children
Procedure of Bandura'sresearch:
children were split into 3 groups - one watched an adult play aggressively with toys (including a bobo doll), one watched an adult play nicely with the toys, one did not watch anything to act as a control group
children were then placed alone in the room with the same toys for 20 minutes
the amount of imitative behaviour was recorded
Findings of Bandura's research:
children who saw the adult play aggressively acted more aggressively than the children who saw the adult play nicely and the control group
Observational learning - learning by watching the behaviour of others
Imitation - copying observed behaviours
Role model - often people with high status; someone people look up to
Modelling - copying a role model's behaviour
Identification:
an individual sees themselves as similar to a model (e.g. same age or gender)
increases the likelihood of imitation
Vicarious reinforcement:
not directly experienced
occurs through observing someone else being rewarded
increases likelihood of imitation as people expected to be rewarded in the same way they observed
Vicarious punishment:
observing someone else being punished for a behaviour
decreases the likelihood of imitation as people expect to be punished in the same way they observed
Mediational processes:
attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation
Attention:
in order to learn a behaviour it must capture our attention
could be funny, unusual, intrinsically interesting or a behaviour performed by a role model
Retention:
a memory of the behaviour must be formed
a memory is more likely to be made if something is seen repeatedly as it is more likely to be stored in the long-term memory
Motor reproduction:
an individual needs to have the physical ability to replicate the behaviour - more likely if it is easy to replicate
Motivation:
rewards must outweigh the costs for imitation
rewards may come from positive or vicarious reinforcement
6 A01 points:
learning occurs directly and indirectly through observation and imitation - shown in Bandura's research
acknowledges the role of mediational thought processes - they intervene in learning to determine whether a behaviour will be imitated
behaviours must capture our attention
a memory of a behaviour must be formed - retention
individuals need to have the physical ability to copy a behaviour - motor reproduction
rewards must outweigh the costs of imitating a behaviour - motivation
Supporting evidence:
P - strength, evidence to support it
E - Fiji, eating disorders increased from 12% to 29%, 3 years after TV
E - impact of TV, girls associate with celebrities, adjust their eating
C - credible explanation, empirically tested
Opposing research:
P - limitation, research to oppose it
E - OCD, MZ = 68%, DZ = 31%
E - genetic basis, same environment, different number of shared genes
C - incomplete explanation, doesn't acknowledge genetics
Applications:
P - strength, blood donations, get Britain talking
E - loveisland stars, donated blood
E - ITV, get Britain talking, celebrities discuss mental health
C - reinforced modelling conclusions
Doesn't acknowledge:
P - limitation, ink blot test
E - different people see different things, unconscious connections
E - reinforces conclusion that behaviour is driven by unconscious influences
C - important to consider learning, biology and unconscious influences