Social learning theory

    Cards (13)

    • Social learning theorists agree with the behaviourism principles stating behaviour is learnt through experiences and interactions.
    • Reinforcement techniques used by social learning theorists are known as vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishments.
    • Individuals we observe are referred to as models.
      • Live models include parents, family and friends.
      • Symbolic models include characters from books and movies.
    • Mediational factors:
      • Social learning theorists (SLT) argue human behaviour can not be fully understood without including the role of the cognitive process that occur between stimuli and responses.
      • Mediational responses are attention, retention, reproduction and motivation that must occur between observing a model performing a behaviour (stimuli) and imitating that behaviour (response).
    • Mediational processes:
      • Attention - Paying attention to said model.
      • Retention - Remembering the observed behaviours. This involves encoding the observed behaviour so that it can be retrieved later.
      • Reproduction - Individual's belief in their ability to replicate the behaviour demonstrated by the model (this depends of physical capabilities and remembered details of the behaviour).
      • Motivation - Willingness to perform the behaviour, influenced by expected outcomes (eg rewards and punishments) based on observing the consequences of behaviour in others.
    • Bandura and the Bobo doll (1961):
      • Procedure - Children aged 3-6 divided into two groups. Group A observed an adult showing verbal and physical behaviour towards the Bobo doll in a room full of toys. Group B watched an adult interact non-aggressively with different toys. This was all observed through a one-way mirror.
      • Findings - Group A was more likely to be aggressive themselves. Identification among boys occurred when they saw an aggressive male rather than aggressive female model.
    • Bandura - Symbolic models (1963):
      • In a condition where children were exposed to a live aggressive adult, a recording of an aggressive adult, or a cartoon featuring an aggressive cat all direction their aggression to the Bobo doll, findings showed comparable levels of aggression between all groups, whether live or symbolic, were initiated.
    • Bandura - Vicarious reinforcement (1965):
      • Children witnessed adults acting aggressively towards the Bobo doll followed by them receiving rewards (sweets), punishments (hit with a wooden golf club), or neither. Findings showed children who saw the adult being punished were less aggressive than the other conditions.
    • Strengths of the social learning theory:
      • Supporting evidence - Bobo doll study has high internal validity due to lab setting. Procedures were standardised. It also used a matched pairs design to control participant variables, assessing pre-existing aggression in participants so each group had an equal mix.
    • Strengths of the social learning theory:
      • Less reductionist - Acknowledges the roles of consciousness and rationality, giving a more believable explanation for complex behaviours (eg aggression).
    • Strengths of the social learning theory:
      • Theory of 'reciprocal determinism' - A more valid perspective than simpler deterministic approaches. Bandura argued behaviour is not only influenced by environmental factors, but also shaped it. For example, a child's study habits for a test can alter their environment (achieving A grades and receiving praise makes them motivated to increase their efforts).
    • Limitations of the social learning theory:
      • Limited explanation and lacks ecological validity - Bandura's research only demonstrated short term learning theory. It was also conducted in a lab setting so may not directly translate to real-world settings.
    • Limitations of the social learning theory:
      • Relies on interferences - Processes, such as identification with a model, vicarious reinforcement and mediating cognitive factors are not directly observable and rely on assumptions. These interferences may be incorrect and the true cases of behaviour may be significantly different.