social learning theory

• vicarious reinforcement is when someone observes others behaviour and take note of its consequences. Behaviour that is seen to be reward is more likely to be copied
• the 4 meditational processes in learning:

  • attention- whether behaviour is noticed
  • retention- whether behaviour is remembered
  • motor reproduction- being able to do it
  • motivation- the will to perform the behaviour
• identification is when people are more likely to imitate the behaviour of those with whom they identify. Such role models are similar to the observed, attractive and have high status
• Bandura et al procedure: children watched either an adult behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll or an adult behaving non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll
• Bandura et al findings and conclusions: when given their own doll to play with, the children who had seen the aggressive version were much more aggressive towards to doll. The Bobo doll studies suggest that children are likely to imitate (model) acts of violence if they observe these in an adult role model. It is also the case that modelling aggressive behaviour is more likely if such behaviour is seen to be rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)
• Bandura and Walter procedure: children saw adult who was rewarded, punished or there was no consequence for how they behaved towards the Bobo doll
• Bandura and Walter findings and conclusions: when given their own doll, the children saw the aggression rewarded were much more aggressive themselves. The Bobo doll studies suggest that children are likely to imitate (model) acts of violence if they observe these in an adult role model. It is also the case that modelling aggressive behaviour is more likely if such behaviour is seen to be rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)
• One strength of SLT is the emphasis of cognitive factors. Neither classical conditioning nor operant conditioning can offer a comprehensive account of human learning not their own because cognitive factors are omitted. Humans and animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions. This shows that SLT provides a more complete explanation of human learning than the behaviourist approach by recognising the role of meditational processes
• One limitation of SLT is it relies too heavily on evidence from contrived lab studies. Many of Bandura's ideas were developed through observation of children behaviour in lab settings and this raises the problem of demand characteristics. The main purpose of a Bobo doll is to hit it. So the children in those studies may have been behaving as they thought was expected. Thus the research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life
• One strength of SLT is that is has real world application. Social learning processes can account for how children learn from other people around them, as well as through the media, and this can explain how cultural norms are transmitted. This has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviours such as how children come to understand their gender role by imitating role models in the media. This increases the value of SLT as it can account for real world behaviour