social learning theory

• bandura 1986 is the main guy
• social learing process

  1. identification with model
  2. observation of behaviour
  3. imitation of behaviour
  4. reinforcement of behaviour
• more likely to identify with a model if the model is

  • older
  • same-sex
  • attractive
  • successful
• reinforcement can be direct (praise from pairs) or vicarious (seeing others get praised for behaviour, or punished for not doing behaviour)
• bandura et al (1961)

  • examines SLT in children
  • children observed aggressive or non-aggressive behaviour in adult models and were then tested for imitative learning in the absence of the model
  • children who observed the aggressive behaviour reproduced verbally + physically aggressive behaviour
  • none of the children who observed non-aggressive behaviour exhibited aggressive behaviour towards the bobo doll
  • follow up study found children who saw model be rewarded for aggressive behaviour were much more likely to be aggressive in their own play
• (-) SLT can't establish a causal relationship

  E: the theory is only correlational -> research can only indicate an association between behaviour and peer groups, not that peer groups cause behaviour (e.g. differential association + forensics)

  E: could be that peer groups are sought out due to an individuals innate behaviour

  L: thus undermining SLT -> hard to apply principles of SLT to situations
• (+) experimental research to support the idea of identification

  E: Fox + Bailenson found that humans are more likely to imitate computer generated virtual humans who were similar to the real participant than those who were not

  E: shows that greater identification with a model leads to more learning as it is easier to visualise the self in place of the model

  L: supports SLT

  C/A: study lacks mundane realism, actions of virtual humans and those in study cannot be extrapolated to something as complex and serious as crime
• (+) real world applications in things like health campaigns

  E: attempts to change health related behaviours through media have shown that models similar to a target audience are more likely to bring about greater identification ad thus greater social learning of behaviour

  E: e.g. safe driving awareness campaigns showing young students in order to change behaviours in young new drivers

  L: shows principles of SLT can be aooled to and make changes to behavior through identification with a model, observation, and imitation, supporting SLT
• Mediational processes

  1. attention
  2. retention
  3. reproduction
  4. motivation