P2 Approaches 3. Social Learning Theory

Question 1

What is modelling?

Answer 1

A form of learning where individuals learn a particular behaviour by observing another individual performing that behaviour (model)

Question 2

What is imitation?

Answer 2

Imitation is the action of using someone or something as a model and copying their behaviour

Question 3

What is identification?

Answer 3

Identification is a form of influence where an individual adopts an attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular person or group

Question 4

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 4

Learning through observation of the consequences of actions for other people

Question 5

What us the role of mediational processes?

Answer 5

Mediational processes are mental factors that intervene in the learning process to determine whether a new behaviour is acquired

Question 6

What was the Bandura Study 1961?

Answer 6

Two groups of children were shown videos of models displaying behaviour towards a Bobo doll. One group was shown a video where the model acted aggressively towards the bobo doll (physically and verbally) and the other group were shown a video where the model was not aggressive.

Question 7

What were the findings for the Bandura Study 1961?

Answer 7

The children who observed the aggressive model reproduced a good deal of physically and verbally aggressive behaviour resembling that of the model.

None of the children who observed the non-aggressive model exhibited aggression toward the bobo doll.

Question 8

What are the strengths of the Social Learning Theory?

Answer 8

-It has useful application which increases the use for human behaviour (for example Akers 1998 suggested people exposed to a criminal model are more likely to commit a crime)

-It’s research support for identification (Fox and Bailenson 2009 found people are more likely to imitate people that are more similar to them)

Question 9

What are the criticisms of the Social Learning Theory?

Answer 9

The issue of causality (Siegel and McCormick say young people who are deviant seek out other peers similar to them / it’s argued people don’t imitate others around them, but they seek them out)
-The issue of complexity (SLT disregards other potential influences / e.g development of gender role behaviour)