slt

•  Behaviour can be influenced by cognitive processes, ‘mediating processes’ 

  1. Observing a role model’s behaviour - we realise they are like us and we want to be like them (known as identification)
  2. The role model receives a consequence for their behaviour (good or bad) - form of vicarious reinforcement 
  3. If there is vicarious reinforcement, behaviour is likely to be imitated. If they copy the role model’s behaviour, they will be rewarded too
• Mediating process

  Attention

  Retention

  Reproduction

  Motivation
• One weakness of SLT is that it is not as scientific as some of the other approaches. This is because it recognises the role of mediating processes - thought processes that cannot be observed - which makes them difficult to study objectively. This is a weakness because it could weaken Psychology’s reputation as a discipline meaning social learning theory can effectively explain some forms or human behaviour
• One strength of SLT is that there is research evidence to support its belief. For example, Bandura found that children would imitate aggressive role models and display novel behaviours because they had observed them previously, particularly if the role model was similar to them. This is a strength as it improves the validity of the approach meaning that social learning theory can effectively explain some sort of human behaviour
• One strength of SLT is that it can be seen as less deterministic than some other approaches. This is because it accepts the role of thinking through the mediating processes which means that to some extent we can choose our behaviour. This is a strength because it suggests that humans have free will to at least some extent meaning that SLT accurately reflects the human experience of decision making
• Mediating processes - thought processes happening between observation (stimulus) and imitation (response) that affect the likelihood it will be imitated
• attention - we need to notice behaviour and it needs to grab our attention

  retention - a memory of the behaviour is formed for it to be performed later by the observer

  reproduction - it must be physically possible for behaviour to be imitated

  motivation - if the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs then the behaviour will be more likely to be imitated
• Bandura's Bobo doll experiment showed how observational learning works. Children were shown an adult behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll. The children who saw this acted aggressively when left alone with the doll.
• Bandura wanted to test whether children would copy aggressive or non-aggressive behaviour from an adult

  To examine the effect of the continual influence of the model.

  36 male + 36 female participants

  37 - 69 months, mean age was over 4 years

  8 experimental groups with 6 participants in each

  4 saw aggressive role model and 4 saw non-aggressive role model 

  Participants were observed for 20 mins and rated the extent to which they imitated the behaviour they had just seen

  Boys acted more aggressive than girl

  More imitation if the role model was the same gender as the child
• Social learning theory suggests that we learn from observing our role models and later imitating them in a real life situation similar to the one we observed. We realise our role models are like us and we want to be like them.
• Vicarious reinforcement = A type of indirect learning which occurs when an observer sees their role model being rewarded for displaying a certain behaviour. The observer is then motivated to imitate this behaviour, in an effort to receive the same reward
• Social learning theory (SLT) suggests that learning occurs both directly, through classical and operant conditioning, and indirectly, through vicarious reinforcement.
• A limitation is that it ignores the influence of biological factors in behaviour. Bandura found that boys were often more aggressive than girls, regardless of the nature of the experiment. This might be explained by differences in hormones between each gender, e.g. testosterone levels. Testosterone is present in greater quantities in boys than in girls, and is also linked to aggressive behaviour. This is a weakness of social learning theory as research suggests that biology is an important factor in behaviour, and it may be that SLT has an overly simplistic view on behaviour.
• Social learning theory can explain why people's behaviour is not always consistent across situations. For example, a person may be aggressive in one environment (e.g. at home) because it was rewarding in that situation. However, that person may not show aggression in another setting (e.g. school) because aggressive behaviour is not rewarding in that situation. This is a strength of social learning theory as it can explain variations in behaviour in terms of context.
• A strength of social learning theory is that it is able to explain cultural differences in behaviour. Aggression in the Kung San people, for example, is comparatively rare. Parents do not use physical discipline and aggression is devalued as a society. The absence of aggressive models means children do not learn aggressive behaviour. This means that social learning theory accounts for cultural differences. some cultures emphasise and model aggressive behaviour. This would produce individuals who are typically more aggressive. However, other cultures model non-aggressive behaviour.
• A problem with social learning theory is that it cannot adequately explain all behaviour. For example, language acquisition. Whilst children do learn some aspects of behaviour through imitation, this explanation is limited. Social learning theory would argue that all language is acquired through imitation, however, this cannot be true given that we have the ability to produce combinations of words that we have never heard anyone else use. This means that social learning theory is limited in what it can tell us about human behaviour.