Psychology Approaches - Social Learning Theory

• Social learning theory


  Theory that our behaviour is learned from experience, and we learn through the observation and imitation of others
• Social learning theory


  1. Observe behaviour of others

  2. Imitate behaviour

  3. If consequences seem positive
• Vicarious reinforcement


  Imitating behaviour of a model who is being rewarded
• Characteristics of a model


  • Possess characteristics that the observer has
  • Have characteristics that the observer wishes to have
• Mediational processes


  Mental events that determine whether an individual perceives a behaviour as being worth imitating
• Bandura's Bobo doll study


  Boys were more aggressive than girls, despite observing the same models
• Social learning theory


  • Able to explain cultural differences in behaviour
  • Able to account for cultural changes in behaviour
  • Demonstrates the importance of cognitive factors in behaviour
• Many of Bandura's ideas were developed based on the observation of the behaviour of children in a lab setting
• Laboratory experiments come with the risk of participants responding to demand characteristics, limiting the validity of the findings