SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

• HOW DOES THE SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY SUGGEST AN IS OBTAINED BY?

  indirectly through observation of a model who provides an example of behaviour to follow and modifies social norms to establish what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable
• WHEN IS A ROLE MODEL MOST INFLUENTIAL?

  if the observer identifies with the role model
• KEY PROCESSES INVOLVED IN SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY?

  • mediational processes (attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation)
  • vicarious reinforcement
  • vicarious punishment
• WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT OR PUNISHMENT?

  family as observation of behaviour is repeated frequently over time
• WHAT IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF SYMBOLIC ROLE MODELS?

  • media
  • transmit cultural ideals
  • which lead to cognitive distortions
• RESEARCH INTO SLT?

  DITMARR

  • laboratory experiment
  • independent groups design
  • 162 British Girls (5-8)
  • exposed to Barbie/ Emme/ control images of flowers, balloons, clothes
  • questioned about self-esteem and coloured in silhouettes
  • barbie = lower self-esteem and more dissatisfaction with body shape
  • identify with glamour, affluence and success therefore internalise

  BECKER

  • introduction of British/ American TV in Fiji
  • previous preference for larger body types
  • 74% felt too fat
  • 69% dieted
  • 83% felt influenced by TV
  • 40% saw losing weight as a success
  • increase in AN cases
• EVALUATION INTO SLT?

  + Becker

  + Chisuwa + O'Dea

  -Diathesis-stress model

  + Jones + Morgan
• BECKER?

  • natural experiment
  • key predicting factor of eating disorders was social network media exposure
  • measured by number of peers exposed rather than hours
  • indirect reinforcement > direct reinforcement
• CHISUWA + O'DEA?

  • increased AN in Japan
  • traditional plumpness values of healthiness replaced by Western thinness ideal
• DIATHESIS-STRESS MODEL?

  • underlying vulnerability
  • expect more cases
  • does not explain why only some develop AN with same role models
• JONES + MORGAN?

  • bigorexia eating disorder
  • develop muscles without gaining fat
  • ideal standards transmitted through media