A01

• Social Learning Theory (SLT) states you can learn behaviour directly (classical and operant conditioning) as well as indirectly (observing and imitating others).

  Vicarious reinforcement is learning through observing the consequences of other people’s behaviour. The likelihood of imitating behaviour increases if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded.
• Mediational processes are cognitive factors which are involved in learning and determine whether a new behaviour is acquired. The four mediational processes are: attention (whether we notice a behaviour), retention (whether we can remember the behaviour), motor reproduction (whether we can perform the behaviour ourselves) and motivation (whether we have the will to perform the behaviour, by weighing up the rewards and punishments).
• SLT also emphasises the idea that imitation is more likely to happen when people identify with the person who is performing the behaviour. Such a person is referred to as a role model and a person becomes a role model if they are seen to have similar characteristics to the observer, have high status, or are attractive.