social learning theory

• social learning theory

  - learning occurs through observation and imitation of behaviour by role-models.
• slt was devised in the 1960s by albert bandura.
• slt like behavioural approach sees learning experience and nurture as the key of explaining behaviour.
• observations

  learning through watching others
• imitation

  copying role models behaviour
• alt recognises the importance of cognitive processes but rejects the idea of learning is an outcome of stimulus response
• modelling

  person produces a spercific behaviour for copying.
• vicarious reinforcement

  learning through observation of consequences of actions from other people.
• meditational processes

  mental factors that intervene with learning process. attention -> retention - > reproduction -> motivation.
• identification

  we are more likely to imitate models with similar characteristics such as gender and age
• bandura ( 1961)

  procedure - 72, participants 36 m/f, children age 6 - 3 group 1 observed an adult demonstrating psychical and verbal aggression towards a bobo doll and group 2 watched an adult play non-aggressively. group 3- control findings: children exposed to the violent model were more likely to be aggressive (imitation) and boys were more likely to mimic a psychical aggressive male model ( identification) girls mimicked a verbal aggression
• meditational process. attention -> focus on what has been seen retention -> remember what has been seen. reproduction ->repeat what has been seen. motivation -> why/what is the reason behind why it has been reproduced
• + slt is supported by evidence like the bobo doll that has high internal validity due to the lab setting the study ensures the environmental controlled by ha in participants follow the same procedure.
• — the bobo dolls study ecological validity can be questioned as the aggression observed in a controlled lab setting may not directly translate to the real world scenario us.
• — research supporting slt, like bobo doll study relies on inferences. identification, vicarious reinforcement and mediating cognitive factors aren’t directly observable but are inferred from behaviour.
• +. slt is less reductionist than behaviourism as it acknowledges roles of consciousness and. rationality peorviding a more believable explanation for complex behaviour like aggression.
• real life application like

  the columbine shooting and Jamie bulger.