The Social Learning Theory

• Identify three basic assumptions of the social learning theory


  Behaviour is learned in a social context through observation and imitation.

  Factors such as vicarious reinforcement (observing a role model being rewarded for their behaviour) and identification (thinking about whether you are similar to the role model or wish to be like them) can also affect imitation.

  The mediational processes of attention, retention, reproduction and motivation occur between observation and imitation to influence whether the individual will copy the behaviour they observed.
• Define modelling.


  When a role model carries out a behaviour that is then observed by others. E.g. a mother may model how to put on make-up that her daughter then observes.
• Define imitation.


  When an individual copies the behaviour of a role model.
• Explain what is meant by identification.


  Refers to whether an individual views themselves as similar to the role model (e.g. due to being of similar ages or the same sex) or wishes to be like them (e.g. due to their status, popularity etc.) If an individual identifies with the role model, they are more likely to imitate their behaviour.
• Explain what is meant by vicarious reinforcement.


  Refers to when an individual observes a role model being rewarded for their behaviour. This makes the individual more likely to imitate the role model’s behaviour as they want to receive the same reward.
• Explain the role of mediational processes.


  Mediational processes are internal mental processes that occur between observation and imitation. They include attention, retention, reproduction and motivation. These can also affect whether an individual is likely to imitate a behaviour they have observed.
• Outline the 4 mediational processes.


  Attention: The individual must notice the behaviour.

  Retention: The individual must remember the behaviour.

  Reproduction: The individual must think about whether they can physically perform the behaviour.

  Motivation: The individual will assess whether the potential rewards outweigh the potential punishments and whether any vicarious reinforcement motivates them.
• Explain one limitation of the role of mediational processes in social learning.


  A limitation of the role of mediational processes is that they rely on inferences being made. This is because mediational processes are internal mental processes that cannot be directly observed. This is a limitation because any inferences about their role require the subjective interpretation of researchers. Therefore questions credibility.
• Outline Bandura’s research.


  Bandura matched children on their initial levels of aggression before randomly allocating them into two groups: One group observed an adult role model behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll while the other group observed an adult role model behaving non-aggressively towards a bobo doll.

  All children were then taken into the same room with the same toys (e.g. bobo doll) while a researcher and a nursery teacher independently observed and tallied the number of aggressive acts each child displayed.
• Outline the findings of Bandura's research.


  Bandura found that children who observed an aggressive adult role model displayed more aggressive acts than the children who observed a non-aggressive adult role model.

  He also found that children were more likely to imitate the behaviour they had observed if the adult role model was of the same sex.

  Bandura therefore concluded that children learn through observation and imitation and factors such as identification can affect this.
• Evaluate Bandura’s research


  Standardised procedures could be employed. For example, standardised procedures ensured that all children observed their adult role model behaving aggressively/non-aggressively for the same amount of time and were all given access to the same toys. This is a strength because if these factors were not controlled, it could have influenced the likelihood of the children imitating the behaviour. Therefore adds credibility.
• Evaluate Bandura’s research


  There was an attempt to control participant variables. This is because Bandura matched the children in each group (aggressive vs non- aggressive role model) on their level of initial aggressiveness as observed in a nursery setting. This is a strength as it meant that the children’s’ later aggressive/non-aggressive behaviour could not be due to their pre-existing levels of aggressiveness, but due to observing and imitating the role model. Therefore adds credibility.
• Evaluate Bandura’s research.


  High inter-observer reliability was established. This is because the observations of the children were carried out by the researcher and the children’s nursery school teacher and there was a positive correlation between their recordings. This is a strength as it reduces the risk of subjectivity/bias affecting the observed data. Therefore adds credibility.
• Evaluate Bandura’s research. 


  Lacks ecological validity. This is because it was conducted in a laboratory setting which is unfamiliar to the children involved. This is a limitation because the unfamiliar setting may have caused children to pay more attention to the role models behaviour (as they may not be sure how to behave) and so would have been more likely to imitate them than if they were in their everyday environment. Therefore questions credibility.
• Outline how the social learning theory has contributed to our understanding of human behaviour.


  The social learning theory proposed how behaviour is learned in a social context through observation and imitation.

  This involves a role model modelling a behaviour that is then seen by another individual who then copies the behaviour (e.g. a mother may model how to put on makeup that her daughter then watches and attempts to copy).
• Outline how the social learning theory has contributed to our understanding of human behaviour.


  The social learning theory proposed that factors such as identification and vicarious reinforcement affect the likelihood that an individual will imitate a behaviour they have observed.

  If the individual sees themselves as similar to the role model or wishes to be like the role model. If they do, they will be more likely to imitate. Meanwhile, vicarious reinforcement refers to the individual observing the role model being rewarded for their behaviour, which makes them more likely to imitate it.
• Outline how the social learning theory has contributed to our understanding of human behaviour.


  The social learning theory proposed that mediational processes (attention, retention, reproduction and motivation) are cognitive processes that occur between observation and imitation.

  This means that for an individual to imitate a behaviour, they must first notice it (attention), remember it (retention), process that they can physically reproduce it (reproduction) and value the vicarious reinforcements they have seen (motivation).
• Evaluate the social learning theory’s contributions to our understanding of human behaviour.


  Bandura found that children who observed a role model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll later behaved more aggressively to a Bobo doll than children who observed a role model behaving non-aggressively. Bandura also found that this imitation was more likely if the child was the same sex as the adult role model. This is a strength because it suggests that children learn behaviours through observing and imitating role models, thus demonstrating key social learning concepts.
• Evaluate the social learning theory’s contributions to our understanding of human behaviour.


  Received contradictory evidence. In Bandura’s bobo doll study, boys were found to be more aggressive than girls regardless of whether they observed an aggressive or non-aggressive role model. This is a limitation because it suggests that behaviour might also be influenced by biological factors such as testosterone levels – boys typically have higher testosterone levels which is linked with aggression. Therefore questions credibility.
• Evaluate the social learning theory’s contributions to our understanding of human behaviour.


  Another limitation of the SLT is that the study of mediational processes has relied on inferences being made. This is because mediational processes are internal mental processes that cannot be directly observed. This is a limitation because any inferences about their role require the subjective interpretation of researchers. Therefore questions credibility.
• Evaluate the social learning theory’s contributions to our understanding of human behaviour.


  Led to practical applications in society. For example, the proposal that children learn through observation and imitation led to the 9pm watershed which bans violent shows being shown on television before 9pm. This is a strength because this helps to prevent children from imitating the undesirable behaviours shown (as they should be in bed by 9pm). Therefore adds credibility.