social learning theory (learning approaches)

• assumptions of social learning theory (Bandura)

  • agrees with the behaviourist approach that learning occurs through experience
  • BUT he also proposed that learning takes place in a social context through observation and imitation of others' behaviour
  • also allows for the inclusion of cognitive elements (e.g.mediating processes) in explaining behaviour
• learning related to consequences of behaviour

  • children (and adults) observe other people's behaviour and take note of its consequences
  • vicarious reinforcement = behaviour that is seen to be rewarded (reinforced) is more likely to be copied
• mediational (cognitive) processes

  • attention = whether behaviour is noticed
  • retention = whether behaviour is remembered/retained
  • motor reproduction = being able to physically reproduce behaviour
  • motivation = the will and motivation to perform/imitate the behaviour
  • first 2 relate to learning, last 2 relate to performance
  • => unlike behaviourism, learning and performance don't have to occur together
  • mediating processes play a crucial role in learning
• identification and modelling

  • identification with role models is important
  • people are more likely to imitate the behaviour of those with whom they identify
  • such role models are similar to the observer, attractive and have high status
  • modelling (observer's perspective) = imitating the behaviour of a role model
  • modelling (role model's perspective) = demonstrating behaviour that may be imitated
• Bandura's research (procedure)

  • Bandura et al
  • children watched either:
  • an adult behaving aggressively towards a bobo doll
  • an adult behaving non-aggressively towards a bobo doll
  • Bandura and Walters
  • children saw adult who was:
  • rewarded
  • punished
  • no consequence
• Bandura's research (findings/conclusions)

  • Bandura et al
  • when given their own doll to play with, the children who had seen aggression were much more aggressive towards the doll
  • Bandura and Walters
  • when given their own doll, the children who saw the aggression rewarded were much more aggressive themselves
  • the bobo doll studies suggest that children are likely to imitate (model) acts of violence if they observe these in an adult role model
  • it is also the case that modelling aggressive behaviour is more likely if such behaviour is seen to be rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)
• Strength = SLT emphasis the importance of cognitive factors

  • Neither classical or operant conditioning can offer a comprehensive account of human learning on their own because cognitive factors are omitted
  • Humans and animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions
  • Shows that SLT provides a more complete explanation of human learning than the behaviourist approach by recognising the role of mediational processes
• counterpoint to emphasising importance of cognitive factors

  • recent research suggests that observational learning is controlled by mirror neurons in the brain, which allow us to empathise with and imitate other people
  • suggests that SLT may make too little reference to the influence of biological factors on social learning
• limit = SLT relies too heavily on evidence from contrived lab studies

  • many of Bandura's ideas were developed through observation of children's behaviour in lab settings and this raises the problem of demand characteristics
  • the main purpose of the bobo doll is to hit it
  • => the children in those studies may have been behaving as they thought was expected
  • => the research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life
• strength = RWA

  • social learning principles can account for how children learn from other people around them, as well as through the media, and this can explain how cultural norms are transmitted
  • this has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviours
  • such as how children come to understand their gender role by imitating role models in the media
  • this increases the value of SLT as it can account for real-world behaviour
• extra evaluation = reciprocal determinism

  • Bandura emphasised reciprocal determinism = we are influenced by our environment, but we also exert an influence upon it through the behaviours we choose to perform
  • this element of choice suggests there is some free will in the way we behave
  • this is a more realistic and flexible position than is suggested by the behaviourist approach as it recognises the role we play in shaping out own environment