Social cog theory Flashcards
What are the factors
- attention
- retention
- motivation
- potential
Attention
to learn a behaviour, an individual must pay attention to the model. There are certain factors that influence whether attention is paid to the model, such as the attractiveness of the model, the authority of the model, the desirability of the behaviour.
Retention
observer must be able to remember the behaviour that has been observed in order to produce that behaviour immediately or after some time
Motivation
Learners must want to replicate the behaviour that they have observed. In order to do this, they must understand what the potential outcome is if they repeat the behaviour – what Bandura called outcome expectancies.
Potential
In order to reproduce an observed behaviour, observers must physically and/or mentally be able to carry out the behaviour - that is, there needs to be a certain level of self-efficacy.
What are the several factors that may influence whether or not the observer decides to imitate and learn.
- consistency
- identification
- liking the model
Consistency
If the model behaves in a way that is consistent across situations—for example, always being brave—then the observer will be more likely to imitate the model than if the model behaves in different ways depending on the situation.
Identification with the model
There is a tendency to imitate models who are like us — for example, in terms of age and gender.
Liking the model
Warm and friendly models are more likely to be imitated than cold, uncaring models.
Bandura aim
wanted to see if children would imitate aggression modeled by an adult
Self efficacy
This theory also argues that it is more likely for learning to occur if the observer has high self-efficacy
- Self–efficacy is one’s belief in one’s ability to successfully accomplish a task.
Social cognitive theory
- assumes that humans learn behaviour through observational learning
- in other words, people can learn by watching models and imitating their behaviour. Sometimes the model is trying to have a direct effect on the learner
- but often models serve as indirect models, in that they are not trying to influence behaviour
- Unlike some learning that we do, we do not need positive reinforcement, such as an award to continue the behaviour
- The fact that the model was rewarded or punished for a behaviour, is enough for us
- This is what Bandura calls vicarious reinforcement.
- The fact that the model was rewarded or punished for a behaviour, is enough for us
- Unlike some learning that we do, we do not need positive reinforcement, such as an award to continue the behaviour
Bandura method
matched pairs design
Bandura procedure
- children aged 3 to 6 years, mean age 52 months (36 boys and 36 girls)
- children divided into groups - groups matched with level of aggression based on evaluation by their nursery school teacher
- 1st group was exposed to adult models who played with blocks but after 1 minute showed aggression by either bashing an inflatable “Bobo” doll or using verbal aggression toward the Bobo. Some watch same-sex some watched opposite-sex
- 2nd group observed a non-aggressive adult who played with the same blocks for 10 minutes.
- 3rd group - control, no model
- after observing the models, children were placed in a room with toys. Very soon, they were taken out of the room and told the toys were for other children, and then put into the room with the Bobo doll.
- so all children experienced some level of frustration that may lead to aggression. (mild aggression arousal)
- children were observed behind one-way mirror - behaviours were recorded for 20 minutes
Bandura results
- Bandura’s group found that the children who had observed the aggressive models were significantly more aggressive—both physically and verbally.
- shows clear signs of observational learning
- children were more likely to imitate the same-sex adult.
