SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

• Social learning theory


  Very similar to the behavioural approach but suggests we are not like machines and there are thought processes that mediate between stimulus and response
• Assumptions of SLT


  • Vicarious/indirect reinforcement
  • Mediational processes
  • Imitation
• Vicarious/indirect reinforcement


  An individual observes the behaviour of others to judge the response from their actions and repeat or avoid it. It does not directly affect them but does influence their behaviours.
• Imitation


  Copying the behaviour of others
• Example of imitation


  • Your sibling is rewarded for doing well in exams, so you work harder to gain that same reward
• Mediational processes


  Cognitive factors influence learning and mediate between stimulus and response
• Four mediational processes outlined by Bandura


  • Attention - noticing behaviours
  • Retention - remembering behaviours and retaining in memory
  • Motivation - the will to perform the behaviour, whether it was rewarded or punished
  • Motor reproduction - how well you can reproduce the behaviour
• Identification


  When an individual imitates the behaviour of a role model as they want to be like them
• Role models


  • People are more likely to imitate the behaviour of those they identify with - role models, this is called modelling
  • Determined by factors like status, beauty, profession, gender, age, achievements, personal characteristics
• Bandura's bobo dolls research


  1. Observed aggressive and non-aggressive adult models

  2. Children who saw aggressive model tended to be more aggressive

  3. Boys more physically aggressive, girls more verbally aggressive, imitating same-sex role model

  4. Vicarious reinforcement - saw model being praised for aggressive behaviours and copied

  5. Mediational processes - attention, retention, motivation, motor reproduction
• Strengths of Social Learning Theory (SLT)


  • Notes the importance of cognitive factors - behavioural approach does not account for human thought, so SLT provides a more comprehensive account of human learning by recognising mediational processes, highlighting how we retain information to reproduce it
  • Real life application - helps to understand cultural differences in behaviour e.g. gender behaviour. SLT assumptions accounts for children learning from their surroundings, therefore increasing its value as an approach
  • Reciprocal determinism - the environment influences us, and we influence the environment, which means this approach recognises our free will, unlike behaviourists - positive aspect of allowing free will and is not completely deterministic
• Limitations of the SLT approach

  ❌ Underestimation of biological factors – did not explain why there was a difference in aggression or consider the fact that the differences in aggression could be due to hormones or other biological factors such as mirror neurons. Therefore, SLT is not a complete explanation of behaviour. 

  ❌ Based on lab studies – subject to demand characteristics. The children could have been acting in a more aggressive way as that is what they thought the aim was. Therefore, may tell us little about how children learn aggression in everyday life.