Social learning theory

• Bandura

  attention - role model - attention placed on a person who has desirable traits to you

  retention - recall observed behaviour (main cognitive element)

  reproduction - behaviour replicated in appropriate situations

  motivation - what drives person to replicate behaviour - vicarious reinforcement - learning through the consequences of actions for others - if reinforced learner motivated to copy behaviour
• Based on observation and intimidation
• Observation - active process where the observer focuses their attention on the modelled behaviour and watches it
• Imitation - copying the observed behaviour - can be reproduced in appropriate circumstances
• Strengths of SLT

  • supported by studies - Bandura - children more likely to intimidate same sex role models. 1965 variation those reinforced likely to intimidate behaviour- shows behaviou acquired through observation , vicarious reinforcement
  • COUNTERPOINT - low mundane realism - playing with toys alone different from typical environments
  • explain alleged effects of media violence - modern of James bulgar - down to 10 year olds watching murder films - to can shape / predict behaviour
• Weakness of SLT

  • competing research evidence - genetic factors kendler et al - identical twins have higher concordance rates in aggression than non-identical - may be individual differences SLT - incomplete explanation for aggression