Social Learning Theory

• What is behaviorism classed as?

  Behaviorism is classed as a learning theory.
• How do we learn according to behaviorism?

  We learn due to stimuli response mechanisms through interaction with our environment.
• What happens when we experience a reward for our behavior?

  We are more likely to repeat the behavior to get the reward again.
• What is the effect of punishment on behavior?

  Punishment is likely to stop you from repeating a behavior.
• What question do social learning theorists like Albert Bandura ask regarding learning?

  Do we have to experience the reward and punishment ourselves to learn the lesson?
• What do social learning theorists argue about observing others?

  Seeing others being rewarded or punished is enough to learn how to modify our own behavior.
• What did social learning theorists have to include that behaviorists rejected?

  They had to include internal mental processes.
• What are the defining features of social learning theory?

  • Learning occurs through observation and imitation.
  • Key theorist: Albert Bandura.
  • Concepts of modeling and vicarious reinforcement.
  • Internal cognitive processes are essential for learning.
• What is the name of Bandura's famous study?

  The Bobo Doll Experiment.
• What did Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment aim to demonstrate?

  It aimed to demonstrate social learning concepts of modeling and imitation.
• What was the age range of children in Bandura's study?

  The participants were children between the ages of three and six.
• What were the two groups in Bandura's study?

  One group watched an adult model aggressive behavior, and the other group watched non-aggressive behavior.
• What did Bandura find regarding children who observed aggressive models?

  Children who observed aggressive models were more likely to be aggressive themselves.
• What did Bandura's 1963 variation study demonstrate?

  It showed that symbolic models, like cartoons, are also imitated.
• How did boys' imitation of aggression differ based on the model's gender?

  Boys were more likely to imitate aggression from a male model than from a female model.
• What was the focus of Bandura's 1965 variation study?

  It focused on the power of vicarious reinforcement and punishment.
• What did Bandura find regarding children who observed adults being punished?

  Children who observed adults being punished were far less aggressive towards the Bobo doll.
• What are the strengths of Bandura's Bobo Doll study?

  • High internal validity due to controlled environment.
  • Used matched pairs design to control for participant variables.
  • Demonstrated key concepts of social learning theory.
• What are the weaknesses of Bandura's Bobo Doll study?

  • Lacks external validity; findings may not generalize to real-life situations.
  • Short-term effects of aggression observed, long-term effects unknown.
  • Inferences about mediating factors may not be accurate.
• How does social learning theory differ from behaviorism regarding learning and performance?

  In social learning theory, learning and performance are not the same; learning can be internalized for later use.
• What are the mediational processes in social learning theory?

  The mediational processes are attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation.
• What is the role of attention in the mediational processes?

  Attention is necessary to watch carefully and pay full attention to the behavior being demonstrated.
• What does retention refer to in the mediational processes?

  Retention refers to the memory of the behavior that must be retained in the mind.
• What is reproduction in the context of mediational processes?

  Reproduction is the internal process of thinking if one can perform the same behavior.
• What does motivation involve in the mediational processes?

  Motivation involves considering the potential rewards or punishments for reproducing the behavior.
• How does social learning theory explain the delay in behavior imitation?

  Social learning theory suggests that learning can be internalized and used later, not immediately.
• What is reciprocal determinism according to Bandura?

  Reciprocal determinism is the idea that behavior is influenced by the environment, and the environment is influenced by behavior.
• How does social learning theory compare to behaviorism?

  • Social learning theory includes cognitive processes.
  • Offers a more detailed understanding of complex behaviors.
  • Considers the role of consciousness and rationality.
• What are the implications of social learning theory for understanding behavior?

  • Provides insights into how behaviors are learned through observation.
  • Highlights the importance of role models in behavior development.
  • Suggests that behavior can be modified through social influences.