social learning theory

• Social Learning Theory


  Theory that we learn through observation, watching other people, imitation, copying other people, and reinforcement
• Identification


  Internalising and adopting behaviours shown by a role model, because they have a quality the individual would like to possess
• Imitation


  Copying the behaviour of a role model
• Vicarious Reinforcement


  Observing the consequences of others' behaviour and imitating only if the consequence was positive
• Social learning theory does not ignore the role of 'thinking' and considers the role of mediational processes
• Mediational Processes in Social Learning Theory

  1. Attention

  2. Retention

  3. Reproduction

  4. Motivation
• An individual will observe a behaviour (attention), store the information in memory (retention), copy the behaviour (reproduce), and decide whether or not they want to carry out the action (motivation) by weighing up the consequences
• Modelling


  People are more likely to imitate behaviour of role models (people they identify with). Role models don't have to physically be present.
• Identification is different to imitation as it may involve a number of behaviours being adopted, whereas imitation usually involves copying a single behaviour.
• Classical conditioning


  Learning by association
• Operant conditioning


  Learning by consequence
• Assumption of the behaviourist approach: Concerned with observable behaviour/mind is a blank slate/ Psychology is a science
• Social Learning Theory


  Learning through imitation
• Mediational Processes

  • Attention
  • Retention
  • Reproduction
  • Motivation
• Identification

  Individuals imitate role models, especially if the same gender
• Imitation


  Copying the behaviour of observed person
• Vicarious Reinforcement


  Observing how role models are rewarded and punished
• Social learning theory is supported by research, such as Bandura's bobo doll study
• Determinism is the view that an individual's behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces rather than an individual's will to do something
• Neither classical nor operant conditioning can offer an adequate account of learning on their own


  Humans and animals store information about the behavior of others and use this to make judgements about what is appropriate
• Social learning theory may provide a better explanation to human behaviour due to it being more comprehensive (complete)
• A limitation of SLT is the over reliance on lab studies to support the theory
• Lab studies can be criticized as many participants would show demand characteristics
• The research may tell us very little about what we learn in everyday life
• A strength of Social Learning theory is that it is less deterministic than the behaviorist approach
• Bandura emphasized reciprocal determinism in the sense we are not merely influenced by our environment, but we exert influence over it through the behaviors we choose to perform
• To score well in a context question, you must relate psychological theory/research to the behaviour/situation described
• To gain marks for criticising a study's methodology in an evaluation, the criticism must be contextualised and you should explain what implications your criticism has for the theory you are evaluating
• The value of a study ultimately rests on whether it provides significant evidence for or against a theory and whether the findings can be applied to real life behaviour