Social learning theory

• Assumptions of the social learning theory?


  -Behaviour is learned through experiences

  -People also learn through observing others

  -Therefore learning can occur directly and indirectly
• The 4 stages of the social learning theory

  Identification-children recognise a person as their role model because they possess similar or desirable qualities

  Imitation-children observing role models behaviour and imitating it

  Modelling-children imitating the behaviour

  Vicarious reinforcement/punishment-children do not receive a reward/punishment for their behaviour but observe this happening to their role model
• What are mediational processes?


  What happens between observing a role models behaviour and imitating that behaviour
• What are the 4 mediational processes?


  Attention-An individual needs to pay attention to the role models behaviour and its consequences

  Retention-Remembering observed behaviours and storing them in LTM

  Reproduction-The individual having the ability to reproduce the observed behaviour

  Motivation-Expected outcomes influence willingness to imitate observed behaviour
• Describe Banduras Bobo Doll experiment (1961)?


  -Participants (children aged 3-6) split into two groups

  -One group observed an adult demonstrating physical and verbal aggression towards a bobo doll in a room filled with toys

  -Other group watched an adult act non-aggressively with different toys

  -An experimenter observed and recorded the childrens physical and verbal aggression from behind a one-way mirror
• Evaluations of Banduras experiment:

  -High internal validity

  -Only demonstrated short-term social learning

  -Questionable ecological validity due to experiment taking place in a controlled lab

  -Ethical implications due to exposing children to aggressive role models which may cause emotional or psychological distress
• Strengths of the social learning theory?


  -Credible since it is supported by robust evidence in the form of an experiment with high internal validity

  -Less reductionist approach giving a more valid understanding of human behaviour
• Limitations of the social learning theory?


  -Research supporting the theory relies on inferences since processes such as identification and vicarious reinforcement are not observable but are inferred

  -Research only demonstrates short term social learning