The social learning theory approach

• What is the Social learning theory approach?

  Social learning theory suggests that we learn by observing and imitating behaviour that is rewarded.

  • It bridges the gap between the cognitive and behaviourist approaches.
• What does modelling mean?

  A form of learning where individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual perform that behaviour.
• What does imitation mean?

  The action of using someone or something as a model and copying their behaviour.
• What does identification mean?

  A form of influence where an individuals adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular person or group.

  • In order to identify with a model, observers must feel that he or she is similar to them and that they be likely to experience the same outcomes in that situation.
• What does vicarious reinforcement mean?

  Learning that is not a result of direct reinforcement of behaviour, but through observing someone else being reinforced for that behaviour.
• What does mediational processes mean?

  Mental/cognitive processes occur between stimulus and response.
• There are 4 mediational processes proposed by Bandura, what are they?

  • Attention
  • Retention
  • (Motor) Reproduction
  • Motivation
• What does it mean by attention?

  The individual needs to pay attention to the behaviour and its consequences and form a mental representation of the behaviour. For a behaviour to be imitated, it has to grab our attention. We observe many behaviours on a daily basis, and many of these are not noteworthy.
• What does it mean by retention?

  How well the behaviour is remembered. The behaviour may be noticed but is it not always remembered which obviously prevents imitation. It is important therefore that a memory of the behaviour is formed.
• What does it mean by (motor) reproduction?

  This is the ability to perform the behaviour that the model has just demonstrated. We see much behaviour on a daily basis that we would like to be able to imitate but that this will not always be possible. We are limited by our physical ability and for that reason, even if we wish to reproduce the behaviour, we cannot.

  • This influences our decisions whether to try and imitate it or not.
• What does it mean by motivation?

  The will to perform the behaviour. The rewards and punishment that follow a behaviour will be considered by the observer. If the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs (if there are any), then the behaviour will be more likely to be imitated by the observer. If the vicarious reinforcement is not seen to be important enough to the observer, then they will not imitate the behaviour.
• What is the KEY STUDY for SLT?

  Bandura et al (1967)
• What was Bandura's procedure?

  Carried out an experiment involving a child who observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models and were then tested for imitative learning in the absence of the model.

  • Half the children were exposed to adult models interacting aggressive with a life-sized Bobo doll and half exposed to non-aggressive models.
  • They were then taken to a room where, among other toys, there was a Bobo doll.
• What was Bandura's findings?

  Children who observed the aggressive model reproduced a good deal of physically and verbally aggressive behaviour resembling that of the model.

  • Children who observed the non-aggressive model exhibited virtual no aggression towards the doll.
• What is a strength of the SLT approach?

  Research support

  • Bandura's doll study
• What is a limitation of the SLT approach?

  A problem for establishing causality

  • A major criticism of social learning explanations for deviant behaviour relates to its claim that increased associations with deviant peers increases the likelihood that an individual will adopt the same values and behaviours.
• What is another limitation of the SLT approach?

  A problem of complexity (Reductionist)

  • By focusing exclusively on the process of social learning, it disregards other potential influenced on behaviour.
  • For example, in explaining the development of gender role behaviour, social learning theorists would emphasise the importance of gender specific modelling. In real life, however a child is exposed to many different influences, all of them interacting in complex ways.
  • These include genetic predispositions, media portrayals, locus of control and so on.
• What is another strength of the SLT approach?

  Research support for the importance of identification in social learning

  • For example, media attempts to change health-related behaviours have shown that models similar to the target audience are more likely to bring about identification and greater social learning.
  • To achieve this, health campaigns have tried to match characters that model the desire behaviour with the target audience in terms of physical characteristics, attitudes and behaviours.
  • Greater identification with the model is then expected to influence modelling behaviour.
• What is another strength of the SLT approach?


  Useful application

  • The principles of social learning have been usefully applied to increase our understanding of many areas of human behaviour, including criminal behaviour.
  • Akers (1998) suggests that the probability of someone engaging in criminal behaviour increases when they are exposed to models who commit criminal behaviour, identify with these models and develop the expectation of positive consequences for their own criminal behaviour.