SLT as an explanation

• Social Learning Theory states that aggression is learnt through what?

  The indirect mechanism of observational learning
• What are four key concepts related to social learning theory?

  Imitation, Identification, Modelling, Vicarious reinforcement
• How does imitation lead to aggression?

  Copying the behaviour of aggressive role model by being aggressive
• How does identification lead to aggression?

  A child may internalising and adopting behaviours shown by an aggressive role model such a parent
• How does modelling lead to aggression?

  The child would then imitate this role model by being aggressive themselves
• How does vicarious reinforcement lead to aggression?

  If a child watches someone else be rewarded for their aggression, that it helps them get what they want, they will be more likely to reproduce this behaviour
• What are mediational processes?

  Cognitive factors that intervene in the learning process to determine whether a new behaviour is acquired or not.
• What are the four mediational processes?

  Attention, retention, reproduction, motivation
• How does attention lead to aggression?

  A child must pay attention to aggression carried out by a role model
• Provide an example of the role of attention in aggression.

  When a child engages in a computer game or watches a violent film they are attending to the aggression
• How does retention lead to aggression?

  A child needs to remember the aggression they have witnessed
• How does reproduction lead to aggression?

  Some aggression is more likely to be imitated than others, depending on if they're capable
• Provide an example of a lack of ability to reproduce aggression.

  Aggression displayed by superheroes is less likely to be imitated if the child does not possess the physical capabilities to carry out the behaviour
• How does motivation lead to aggression?

  A child must expect they will get some kind of reward from carrying out aggression
• What sort of rewards may be involved in imitating aggression?

  This doesn't have to be materialistic but could be linked to gaining higher status in the eyes of their peers
• What is self-efficacy?


  Relates to the factor of self-belief in one's actions
• What is high self-efficacy?

  Individuals believing that their behaviour will attain a goal; having confidence in their own ability to carry out the action and that they will be rewarded for that action
• Explain how a child with low self-efficacy may respond to observing aggressive role models

  Will not be aggressive even with an aggressive role model and they won't believe they are capable of getting the rewards
• Explain how a child with high self-efficacy may respond to observing aggressive role models

  Will be aggressive with an aggressive role model and this will grow with each aggressive act that is successful for them
• What is the supporting evidence for the social learning theory of aggression?

  Bandura's Bobo Doll Study
• Who was the sample in Bandura's Bobo Doll study?

  Children aged 3-5
• What did the children see in Bandura's Bobo Doll study?


  A role model play aggressively or non-aggressively with a bobo doll, whilst the final group had no model
• Children in Bandura's Bobo Doll study were what?


  Matched on their level of starting aggression
• What happened in Bandura's Bobo Doll study once they had observed the models?


  They took the child to a room which had toys in it and observed them to see how they played
• What did Bandura find in relation to those who observed an aggressive role model?

  The children who observed an aggressive model showed a lot of verbal and physical aggression that resembled the script of the model
• What did Bandura find in relation to those who observed an non-aggressive role model?

  There was very little aggressive behaviour; around 70% had a score of zero
• Who conducted research into how the social learning theory of aggression supports cultural variation in aggression?

  Christianson (2006)
• Who did Christianson (2006) study?

  The Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert
• What is unique about the the Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert?

  Aggressive behaviour was very rare in this society
• How does the social learning theory of aggression support this cultural variation in aggression in the Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert?


  There are no cultural norms for aggression and children do not display aggressive behaviour
• How are there are no cultural norms for aggression in the Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert?

  Kung San parents do not use physical punishment and there is no value placed on aggressive behaviour
• How is the social learning theory of aggression a limited explanation?

  Reactive aggression is harder to explain with social learning theory
• What is reactive aggression?

  When aggression is carried out as a reaction to an external stimulus such as jealousy, pain or loneliness
• What is reactive aggression better explained by?

  The frustration-aggression hypothesis