social learning theory

    Cards (13)

    • outline the social learning theory as an approach in psychology
      Behaviour is learned through the observation and imitation of an identified role model, taking internal mental processes into account
    • what is meant by vicarious reinforcement?
      learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement of behaviour, but through observing someone else being reinforced for that behaviour
    • explain how vicarious reinforcement might encourage a behaviour
      when a learner observes someone they identify with and that person receives reinforcement, the learner is motivated to imitate the behaviour
    • what is meant by modelling?
      a form a learning where individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual performing that behaviour
      LIVE MODELS: people present in our environment
      SYMBOLIC MODELS: present in the media (eg books, films)
    • name the 4 meditational processes
      attention
      retention
      motor reproduction
      motivation
    • what are meditational processes?
      cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response
    • explain the role of mediational processes
      . the internal mental processes that exist between environmental stimuli and the response
      . they intervene in the learning process to determine whether a new response is required
      . explains why we don't automatically mimic every behaviour we observe
      . if one of the 4 mediation processes are missing, the behaviour won't be imitated
    • imitation
      copying the behaviour of others
    • explain what is meant by indentification?
      when an observer adopts the behaviours of a role model because they want to be associated with them
    • outline the procedure of Bandura's Bobo doll research
      - children divided into two groups: the first group observed an adult being aggressive towards a Bobo doll in a room full of toys, and the second group observed an adult interact non-aggressively with the toys
    • outline the findings of Bandura's Bobo doll research
      - when put in a room with a Bobo doll, the children who had been exposed to the violent adult were more likely to be aggressive towards the doll, resembling that of the model
      - children who observed the non aggressive adult exhibited virtually no aggression towards the doll
      - highlights the role of identification
    • name one strength of the social learning theory
      RESEARCH SUPPORT:
      - Bandura's research provides evidence for observation and imitation
      - lab study - high internal validity + matched pairs = reduction in participant variables
      COGNITIVE FACTORS:
      - the SLT approach recognises the important of cognitive factors in learning
      --> makes SLT a more comprehensive explanation for behaviour and learning by recognising the role of meditational processes
      - less reductionist
    • name one limitation of the social learning theory
      LACKS EXTERNAL VALIDITY:
      - evidence in which the theory is based on took place in a lab which are criticised for their contrived nature where participants may respond to demand characteristics
      - can also be argued that because the main purpose of a bobo doll is to strike it, the children may have been behaving in a way that they thought was expected
      --> suggests the research may tell us little about how children learn aggression in everyday life
      IGNORES BIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES
      - underestimates role of genetics
      - eg. in Bandura's study boys showed higher levels of aggression which may be linked to testosterone