A03 slt

• POINT: One strength of the SLT approach is that has included cognitive factors in the process of learning

  EVIDENCE: For example, the behaviourist approach focused only on classical and operant conditioning.

  EXPLAIN: Both of these do not taken into account that humans and animals store information about behaviours of others to make judgments about their own actions

  LINK: Therefore, this suggests that the SLT approach provides a more complete explanation of human learning as it includes the mediational processes.
• POINT: However, while it does recognise cognitive factors, it fails to consider the influence of biological factors on learning.

  EVIDENCE: For example, SLT focuses mainly on how the social environment influences learning

  EXPLAIN: However, observational learning may be the result of mirror neurons in the brain, which allow us to empathise with and imitate other people

  LINK: Therefore, this suggests that biological factors were not emphasised in SLT
• POINT: A limitation of SLT is that the research it was based on were lab studies

  EVIDENCE: For example, Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment was criticised for not reflecting real life.

  EXPLAIN: This means participants may have been responding to demand characteristics (a Bobo doll is made to be hit so children thought that was expected)

  LINK: Therefore, such research tells us little about how children may be learning aggression in real life, through imitation
• POINT: Another strength is that SLT principles have been applied to real world behaviours

  EVIDENCE: For example, the idea of modelling, imitation and reinforcement are able to explain how cultural norms are transmitted through some societies

  EXPLAIN: This means we are able to understand how children come to understand their gender role, by looking at their social environment and the media

  LINK: This makes the SLT approach useful as it can help explain real-world behaviour