social learning theory

• Who created the social learning theory?

  Albert Bandura
• The social learning theory proposes that people learn through observation and imitation of others within a social context.
• SLT suggests learning happens directly, through classical and operant, but also inderectly
• 3 components of the Social Learning Theory

  • Vicarious Reinforcement
  • Mediational process
  • Identification
• Vicarious reinforcement 


  occurs when an individual observes someones behaviour be rewarded - leading to imitation
• SLT focuses on how cognitive factors are involved in learning
• what are the 4 mediational processes in learning identified by Bandura?

  • Attention
  • Retention
  • Motor reproduction
  • Motivation
• Attention 


  the extent to which we notice certain behaviours
• Retention 


  How well the behaviour is remembered
• Motor reproduction 


  the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
• Motivation 


  the will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
• identification 


  people (especially children) are much more likely to imitate the behaviour of people with whom they identify - role models
• modelling 


  A person becomes a role model if they are seen to possess similar characteristics to the observer and/or be attractive including having high-status
• Bandura recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave aggressively towards a Bobo doll. The adult hit the doll with a hammer and shouted abuse at it.
• how did the children react after watching the adult act aggressively in the Bobo doll study?

  they behaved much more aggressively when playing with toys than those who observed a non-aggressive adult
• 2 strengths of the social learning theory are that it is less deterministic than the behaviourist approach and explains cultural differences in behaviour.
• How is SLT less deterministic than other approaches?

  • Bandura emphasised reciprocal determinism: we are not merely influenced by our external environment but we also exert influence upon it
  • there is some free will in the way we behave
• How can SLT explain cultural differences in behaviour?

  • principles can account for how children learn from other individuals around them, media
  • explaining how cultural norms are transmitted through societies
  • useful in understanding a range of behaviour, such as children understanding their gender role
• 2 Limitations of SLT are that there is an over-reliance on evidence from lab studies and it underestimates the influence of biological factors
• how does research into the SLT have an over-reliance on lab studies?

  • lab studies are criticised for their contrived nature - causing demand characteristics
  • suggested that the main purpose of a BObo doll is to strike it, the children were just acting in a way they thought was expected
• How does the SLT underestimate the influence of biological factors?

  • one consistent finding of the Bobo doll was that boys were often more aggressive regardless of the specifics
  • may be explained by hormonal factors (testosterone which is linked to aggression)
  • this important influence of behaviour is not accounted for