Learning Aim B

• What does Bandura's social learning theory state?

  Bandura's social learning theory states that individuals develop who they are through environmental factors, namely the imitation of role models.
• Nature:

  Genetic inheritance
• Nurture:

  The influence of external factors such as social and environmental.
• Bandura's social learning theory states that individuals develop who they are through environmental factors, namely the imitation of role models.
• Bandura suggested that through observational learning, children model their behaviour by watching others.
• According to Bandura, this process of imitation occurs through four stages: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation.
• In the first stage of attention, the child pays attention to the person they wish to imitate the behaviour of, usually someone they look up to and are close to.
• The second stage of retention involves the child remembering the actions that they have observed and the responses they have received.
• The third stage of reproduction is when the child reproduces the behaviour with the aim to receive the same response as their role model received, which can include acceptance by others.
• The final stage of motivation occurs if the child receives the response they are looking for, they will be motivated to reproduce this behaviour again.
• Bandura's social learning theory can be used to explain why young children imitate positive and undesirable behaviour, as seen in Bandura’s Bobo doll study where children copied the aggressive behaviour an adult model inflicted on a bobo doll.
• Social learning theory can be used to explain why young people may succumb to peer pressure and carry out risk-taking behaviour such as having unprotected sex or drinking alcohol.
• Social learning theory ignores the influence of biological factors on behaviour and development, such as the role of hormones and genetics.
• The stress-diathesis model explains that a disorder or behaviour trait is the result of an interaction between genetic predisposition vulnerability and stress, usually caused by life events and factors.
• A child may have inherited gene from their parents (nature), predisposing them to the gene.
• Environmental factors, such as a stressful life event, may trigger the activation of the gene.
• The stress-diathesis model offers a more credible explanation for behaviour than looking at genetics and the environment as separate factors.
• Family poverty can have significant impacts on infants, including delayed physical development, poorer cognitive development, increased risk of mental health issues, higher risk of chronic health conditions, and lower access to quality healthcare, education, and nutrition.