Social Learning Theory

• Assumptions


  Bandura agreed behaviour is learnt, but indirectly through the observation, identification and imitation of others, as well as vicarious reinforcement.
• Vicarious Reinforcement


  The learner observes the behaviour, but also the consequences of it. Imitation only occurs if behaviour is seen to be rewarded.
• Mediational Processes


  Cognitive factors to determine if a behaviour is learnt

  1. Attention
  2. Retention
  3. Motor Reproduction
  4. Motivation

  Observed behaviours can be stored and reproduced later, learning and performance do not need to occur together.
• Identification


  Children are more likely to imitate people they identify with (role models).

  Role models are seen to possess similar characteristics to the observer, and/or have high status and are attractive. Role models may not need to be physically present --> influence of media
• Bandura's Research


  Bobo Doll - recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult interact aggressively with a Bobo doll e.g hitting, shouting. The children were later observed to behave aggressively towards the Bobo doll than children who watched a non-aggressive adult
• Bandura's Research Variation 2


  Bandura and Waler showed videos to children of adults being aggressive to the Bobo doll. One group saw the adult praised, another saw punished and one saw no consequence. The children who saw the adult praised were the most aggressive when given their own Bobo doll.
• Eval : Strength


  SLT has real-world applications for explaining cultural differences in behaviour. Imitation, reinforcement and modelling account for children learning from others including the media, and how cultural norms are transmitted.
• Eval : Weakness


  SLT has an over-reliance on lab studies, with Bandura's ideas being developed using lab experiments, which is criticised for the possibility of demand characteristics. The purpose of a bobo doll is to hit it, so children may have been doing what they thought was correct.
• Eval : Weakness


  Bandura's findings found that boys were more aggressive than girls, so the overlooking of biological factors means SLT isn't a complete explanation for behaviour