Bandura's Social Learning Theory
Cards (9)
- SLT (Neo-behaviourism)
- Some behaviours too complex for CC or OC
- Behaviours learned through association of OTHERS' actions and their consequences
- Process of SLT:
- Behaviour learned through observation + imitation
- Greater when those observed modelling the behaviours = role models
- Process of SLT:
- Behaviour exhibited if consequences provide vicarious reinforcement
- Behaviour unlikely to be exhibited if consequences provide vicarious puishment
- Deciding factor of whether behaviour is imitated = mediational processes
- Attention
- Retention
- Motor reproduction
- Motivation (linked to expectancy of future outcomes)
- Bandura confirmed the importance of operant conditioning + direct reinforcement/punishment ONCE a vicarious learned behaviour was displayed
- SLT key research: Bandura's Bobo Doll study
- Children exposed to agressive role models = aggressive children
- SLT A&E point 1: theory built on weight of well-replicated evidence
- Bandura: aggressive role model = aggressive child, but control group with no model = little aggression
- Supports predictions of SLT
- Bandura + Walters 1963: vicarious reinforcement increases likelihood of imitation + support for mediational processes (no attention + retention = no imitation/lack of imitation)
- SLT A&E point 2: Bandura's high quality supporting research = further support
- MP design = potentially confounding variable of innate aggression removed
- If confounding variable left in -> causal relationship difficult to establish
- SLT A&E point 3: SLT undermined by beta gender bias in Bandura's research
- Bandura's theory ignored biological influence on aggression
- Male + female biology = very different
- Male ppts more aggressive than female ppts
- Dolan et al.: increased testosterone = increased aggression -> males have higher testosterone than females
- Bandura's research may not accurately represent potential differences in how males + females learn new behaviours