social learning theory

• What is social learning theory primarily about?

  Learning through observation and imitation
• Who developed the four processes of social learning theory?

  Albert Bandura
• What are the four processes of social learning theory according to Bandura?

  • Attention
  • Retention
  • Reproduction
  • Motivation
• What does reproduction refer to in social learning theory?

  Finding out who your role model is
• What is retention in the context of social learning theory?

  Remembering how a role model behaves
• How does motivation influence behavior in social learning theory?

  It is influenced by rewards observed
• What are the factors that increase the likelihood of behavior being imitated?

  Gender and role model similarity
• What is vicarious reinforcement?

  Seeing someone rewarded for a behavior
• What is vicarious punishment?

  Stopping a behavior after seeing punishment
• What does vicarious extinction refer to?

  Stopping a behavior after no reward is seen
• How do vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment differ?

  Reinforcement encourages behavior, punishment discourages it
• If a child observes a peer being rewarded for sharing, what might they do?

  They may imitate the sharing behavior
• applications

  strengths

  • suggests adults, teachers and people in the media may be important in shaping the behaviour of young people.
  • The role of mentoring may be important for young people with challenging behaviour
  • Implications for therapy since learning appropriate behaviour through observation and imitation of others

  weaknesses

  • Implications to censorship in the media showing violent behaviour needs to be reduced since it can have an effect on young people
• evidence

  strengths

  • Bandura 1961 research supports it it shows how behaviour can be learnt simply through observation
  • Bandura 1965 supports the concept of vicarious reinforcement to strengthen learning

  weaknesses

  • Bandura study Lacks ecological validity it took place in a very artificial setting. This behaviour may not be actually imitated in a real world scenario

  more research is needed in an everyday setting.
• strengths and shortcomings

  strength

  • Well supported by laboratory basic experiments with standardised procedures and well controlled variables has very high scientific reliability

  weaknesses

  • Social learning theories suggest the environment is very important in determining what we learn however it holds determinism since we don't really have much choice who are important role models are this suggest we do not have any free Will