Social Learning Theory

• Define social learning theory


  A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
• Define imitation


  Copying the behaviour of others
• Define identification


  When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model.
• Define modelling


  From the observer's perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model. From the role model's perspective, modelling is the precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.
• Define vicarious reinforcement


  reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour - key factor in imitation
• Define mediational processes


  Cognitive factors (i.e. thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.
• Outline the assumptions of SLT


  Bandura agreed with behaviourists that much of our behaviour is learned from experience.

  However, his SLT proposed a different way in which people learn: through observation and imitation of others within a social context.
• What is SLT a bridge between? Why?


  SLT is a bridge between traditional learning theory and the cognitive approach because it focuses on how mental factors are involved in learning.
• What are the four mediational processes in learning that were identified by Bandura?


  Attention, retention, motor reproduction, and motivation.
• Define attention


  The extent to which we notice certain behaviours
• Define retention


  How well the behaviour is remembered.
• Define motor reproduction


  The ability of the observer to perform the behaviour.
• Define motivation


  The will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished.
• Evaluation : Outline one strength of SLT.


  Humans and many animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions. Bandura said that learning would take far too long if we only relied on learning from our own experiences. We learn by observing others and we use this information later on as a guide for how we should behave.
• Evaluation : Outline one strength of SLT.


  SLT has been applied to a range of real-world behaviours.

  E.g. SLT can explain cultural differences.

  E.g. Children learn from others around them through modelling, imitation, and reinforcement.

  This increases the value of the approach as it can account for real-world behaviour.
• Evaluation : Outline one limitation of SLT.


  SLT has been criticized for ignoring the influence of biological factors on social learning. Bandura claimed that natural biological differences influenced our learning potential, he thought that learning itself was determined by the environment.

  However, recent research suggests that observational learning, may be the result of mirror neurones which allow us to empathise with and imitate other people.
• Evaluation : Outline one limitation of SLT.


  The evidence on which SLT is based was gathered through lab studies.

  Lab studies are often criticised for their contrived (deliberately created instead of naturally occurring) nature where participants may respond to demand characteristics.

  E.g. it has been suggested that in the 'Bobo doll' experiment, because the main purpose of the doll is to strike it, the children were simply behaving in a way that they thought was expected.