Social Learning Theory (SLT)

• Social Learning Theory (SLT)

  Theory proposed by Bandura that suggests learning occurs through the observations of models
• SLT

  • Includes cognitive element between stimulus and response, unlike operant conditioning (OC) and classical conditioning (CC)
  • Individuals learn to behave by observing others and imitating/copying the observed behaviour
• Stages of successful behavioural learning according to SLT

  1. Attention

  2. Retention

  3. Motor Reproduction

  4. Motivation
• Attention


  For observational learning to be successful, the learner must pay attention to the model
• Factors affecting attention


  • Distinctiveness of behaviour being modelled
  • Level of arousal of the learner
  • How much the learner relates themselves to the model
• Retention


  Learner must have the mental capacity to retain/store what they observed
• Learning may be impaired at the retention stage if the learner fails to retain sufficient information about the behaviour being observed
• Motor Reproduction

  Learner must have the physical capability to imitate the behaviour retained/stored
• Motivation

  Learner must want to imitate the behaviour
• Types of motivation

  • Intrinsic (internal feeling)
  • Extrinsic (external sources; tangible)
• Vicarious Reinforcement

  Learner is reinforced by observing the rewards/punishments of the model's behaviour
• Vicarious reinforcement demonstrates the importance of cognition in SLT
• Phobia acquisition according to SLT

  • Mineka & Cook (1988): Rhesus monkey conditioned to show alarm after watching anxious reactions of wild monkeys to snakes
• Application of SLT: Children surrounded by role models such as parents, peers and teachers, who provide examples of behaviour on a daily basis for children to observe and imitate
• The Social Learning Theory (SLT) proposed by Bandura suggests that learning occurs through the observations of models. The stages for learning to be successful are: Attention, Retention, (motor) Reproduction and Motivation. The theory also highlights the importance of cognition in learning which OC and CC failed to account for.