Learning approach

• The Social Learning Theory:

  -Observation

  -Imitation/Modelling

  -Mediational Processes

  -Vicarious Learning
• Observation – learning by watching others behaviour and consequences, then modelling or imitating behaviour.
• Imitation is copying the behaviour of another person.
• Role models are people we observe and imitate e.g parents, actors, characters.
• Modelling – imitating the behaviour of a role model.
• Identification is when we identify with a role model as we see common features such as similar nationalities or similar hair colour.
• Mediational process: Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation (ARRM)
• Attention – in order to learn through observation, we have to pay attention
• Retention – in order to imitate the behaviour of a model you have to remember the actions taken.
• Reproduction - can the observer reproduce the behaviour with the necessary skills.
• Motivation - do you have the motivation or incentive to perform the behaviour.
• Vicarious learning: learning by observing the behaviour of others and imitating their actions
• Vicarious reinforcement: learning through observing the positive consequences of others actions rather than first hand experiences - you copy if they are rewarded.
• Vicarious punishment: learning through observing the negative consequences of others actions rather than first hand experiences - you won't copy if they are given a negative consequence.
• Bandura's Social learning theory study - Bobo doll experiment 1961
• summary of Bobo doll study: involved in exposing children to 2 different adult models - aggressive or non-aggressive.
• Bobo doll study procedure:

  -72 participants aged between 37-69 months.

  -8 experimental groups with 6 children in each group, they were divided based on same or opposite-sex to the role model.

  -in the room there was a ‘bobo doll’ in which, one by one, the children would see wither an aggressive or non-aggressive role model acting towards the ‘bobo doll’
• Bobo doll study procedure:

  -The aggressive model would shout and hit the bobo doll compared to the non-aggressive model who would remain calm.

  -the children were then individually placed in a room with the bobo doll and their behaviour towards the doll was observed.
• Bobo doll study findings :

  -children who observed aggressive behaviour were more likely to be aggressive towards the ‘bobo doll’.

  -boys were more physically aggressive where as girls were verbally more aggressive.

  -the children were more likely to imitate the behaviour displayed by the same sex role model.
• Evaluation of Social Learning Theory:

  -scientific credibility: experiments that support the theory such as the ‘Bobo doll’ study are conducted as lab experiments which have high levels of control and therefore can be replicated to check for results and thus increase internal validity.

  -the social learning theory has useful real world applications such as the development of parenting methods and dealing with children at schools.
• Evaluation of Social Learning Theory:

  -lab experiments however produce low ecological validity due to the high levels of control. Participants might also be able to guess the aim of the experiment and thus a just their actions to produce a desired response – demand characteristics.