Bandura Social Learning Theory

• Social Learning Theory:

  • The social learning theory also considers reinforcement to be a key factor in criminality
  • focuses on the learning of crime through watching other people commit crime
  • Bandura proposed all criminality is caused by observing criminality in others and imitating it, especially when those observed (models) have a higher status than us or people we respect and admire
  • can learn criminality from seeing other people rewarded for it- vicarious learning
  • If others are observed to have positive reinforcements for committing crime, we may be influences to imitate the behaviour.
• Bandura found that children will imitate aggressive behaviour. When they observe it in others and even more so when they see other popiele being rewarded for it. This was the outcome for Bandura’s ‘Bobo Doll‘ Study.