The Social Learning Theory

• IS SLT A COGNITIVE PROCESS?


  YES
• State some of the basic assumptions of the SLT

  - Behaviour is learnt from observing other and the reinforcement or punishment they recieve (indirect rather then direct).

  -Not strictly a behaviourist approach as it not only focuses on behaviour- it considers cognitive processes.
• Key assumption

  Bandura agreed with the behaviorists that behaviour is learnt through our experiences through classical and operant conditioning but ARGUED that we also learn INDIRECTLY by observing and imitating others especially if others are seen being rewarded.

  
  

  1. learning Occurs Through Observation and Imitation:

  SLT assumes that individuals learn new behaviors by observing others (models) and imitating their actions. This can occur directly (through personal experience) or indirectly (by observing the consequences of others' behavior).

  2. Mediational Processes are Central to Learning:

  Unlike the Behaviourist approach, SLT emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes that occur ( A.R.R.M) between stimulus and response.

  3. Vicarious Reinforcement Influences Behavior:

  Individuals are more likely to imitate behaviors that they see being rewarded (vicarious reinforcement) and less likely to imitate those that are punished (vicarious punishment). This highlights the indirect role of reinforcement in learning.
• What are the mediational processes

  1. attention: individual focuses on behaviour from a model

  2. retention: indvidual retains/remembers the behaviour they observed (encoding the behaviour)

  3. motor reproduction: individual has the ability to reproduce the observed behaviour

  4. motivation: individual must be motivated to imitate the behaviour.
• define Vicarious reinforcement


  Reinforcement occurring when someone else observes another person being reinforced for a specific behavior
• What are the 4 mediational processes which are the cognitive processes allowing learning to take place identified by bandura?

  ATTENTION

  RETENTION

  REPRODUCTION

  MOTIVATION
• What are some of the similarities between Behaviorists and SLT/

  - That behaviour is learned from experience

  - both disregard biological influences

  - both are slightly reductionist as they reduce behavior down to stimulus responses and vicarious reinforcement

  -both have scientific research.
• Explain briefly banduras BOBO DOLL experiment

  1.Participants:

  72 children (36 boys and 36 girls) aged 3-6 years from Stanford University Nursery.

  2. Groups:

  The children were divided into three groups:

  -Aggressive model group: Children observed an adult behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll (e.g., hitting it with a mallet, shouting aggressive phrases like "Sock him in the nose").

  -Non-aggressive model group: Children observed an adult playing calmly with toys and ignoring the Bobo doll.

  Control group: Children had no exposure to a model.
• What was Banduras aim in his bobo doll study

  to investigate whether social behaviors like aggression can be acquired by observation and imitation
• Explain Banduras findings in his BOBO DOLL experiment

  Children who were shown the aggressive made more imitative responses than the other groups

  these findings support the SLT
• What is a strength of the Social Learning Theory (SLT) related to research? (A03 STRENGTH)

  SLT is supported by controlled laboratory studies, such as Bandura's Bobo doll experiment, which use observable, measurable behaviors.
• How does SLT account for cognitive factors in learning? (A03 STRENGTH)

  SLT recognizes the importance of mediational processes, such as attention, retention, and motivation, which are involved in learning.
• What is a real-life application of the Social Learning Theory (SLT)? (A03 STRENGTHS)

  SLT explains behaviors like aggression and has been applied to understand the impact of media violence on children and to design interventions like role models in education.
• How does SLT explain cultural differences in behavior? (A03 STRENGTHS)

  SLT explains that different cultural norms are learned through observation of role models within a specific society.
• What concept does SLT acknowledge that contrasts with behaviorism? (A03 STRENGTHS)

  SLT acknowledges reciprocal determinism, highlighting the interaction between the environment, behavior, and cognition.
• define IMITATION


  refers to the process of copying the behavior of a model that an individual has observed. It involves reproducing the observed actions after paying attention to the model, retaining the behavior in memory, and being motivated to replicate it, often due to reinforcement or identification with the model.
• define IDENTIFICATION


  when the observed relates to or associates themselves with the role model .
• define MODELLING


  refers to the process of learning by observing and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, or emotional expressions of others, who are referred to as models. Models can be people in the learner's environment, such as parents, teachers, peers, or even characters in the media.
• Evaluate the strengths of the bobo doll experiment

  -Provides evidence for SLT.

  -High control of variables increases reliability.
• evaluate the weaknesses of the bobo doll study

  - Lacks ecological validity (artificial setup).

  -Ethical concerns (children exposed to aggression).

  -Does not consider biological influences (e.g., innate aggression).
• What is a limitation of Social Learning Theory (SLT) regarding biological factors? (A03 LIMITATION)


  SLT largely ignores the role of biological factors in shaping behavior.
• What did Bandura's research indicate about aggression in boys compared to girls? (A03 LIMITATION)

  Bandura's research showed boys were more aggressive than girls, which may be explained by biological influences such as testosterone levels.
• What is a criticism of the research settings used to support SLT? (A03 LIMITATION)

  Much of the evidence supporting SLT is based on laboratory experiments, which may lack ecological validity.
• What is an example of a limitation in generalizing findings from SLT research? (A03 LIMITATION)

  Aggression toward a Bobo doll might not generalize to real-world aggression toward people.
• What complex behaviors does SLT struggle to explain? (A03 LIMITATION)

  SLT struggles to explain complex behaviors, such as mental disorders, that may not be easily linked to observation and imitation.
• How does SLT underestimate free will? (AO2 LIMITATION)

  SLT implies that behavior is heavily influenced by the environment and observation, underestimating individual free will.
• What ethical concerns are raised by research supporting SLT? (A03 LIMITATION)

  Research supporting SLT, such as Bandura's study, has been criticized for exposing children to aggressive behavior, potentially teaching them to act violently.