AO1

• SLT Bandura proposed that aggression can also be learnt by the indirect mechanism of observational learning. Social learning theory maintains that children learn through a process of imitation. Aggressive acts carried out by a role model will be internalised by an individual and reproduced in the future
• Bandura suggests that how likely we are to copy depends on:

  1. The actual behaviour of the role model
  2. Similarity: boys will copy boys, family links and groups etc.
  3. Presentation: How close, live, immediate the violence was
  4. Warmth: If the model was more friendly towards the subject
  5. Prestige: If the model had high status
  6. Appropriateness: If the behaviour was suitable to the situation.
  7. Vicarious reinforcement: (i) Adult was rewarded children slightly more likely to copy; (ii) adult was punished children were much less likely to copy.
• Bandura believed aggressive reinforcement in the form of imitation of family members was the most prominent source of behaviour modelling. Parents are the primary role models for children; through a process of observation and identification their behaviour is modelled
• Bandura proposed that role models in the media can provide a source of vicarious reinforcement which can lead to aggressive behaviour being replicated. Bandura proposed that these role models can provide a child with a 'script' to guide their behaviour