Social Learning Explanations Flashcards
What does SLT agree with?
Social learning theory agrees with behaviourist learning theories, such as classical and operant conditioning.
(Particularly the role of reinforcement and punishment in the learning of aggressive behaviour).
What are the two important ideas within neo-behaviourism?
Mediating processes between stimuli & responses.
Observational learning, especially through identification.
Social learning theorist say that what occurs in the organism between stimulus and response.
Cognitive factors/ mediating processes.
A stimulus causes a response. What would a social learning theorist say about this statement? What evidence is there?
You need to know about the mental processes that occur between stimulus and response.
Processes such as imitation do not happen automatically, they require conscious effort.
What is SLT, in the context of aggression?
(Applying aggression to SLT, AO1)
The observational learning that an individual has had, as a result of past experiences.
Outline the process of modelling and imitation, incorporated within aggression.
(Applying aggression to SLT, AO1)
One of the methods SLT may manifest within aggression is through processes of modelling.
This is generated by a model: someone who behaves in an influential way, e.g. winning a fighting.
This may cause an individual to imitate the aggressive models actions, in turn causing them to behave more aggressively, e.g. trying to win fights.
The process of identification with the aggressive model relies on mutual factors, e.g. they may be similar in gender.
Outline vicarious reinforcement and punishment, within the context of aggression.
(Applying aggression to SLT, AO1)
Vicarious reinforcement and punishment refers to the reinforcement an observer sees a potentially aggressive model receiving.
The individual does not receive the reward themselves; instead they observe someone else getting it, e.g. a crowd cheering during a boxing fight.
This may influence whether the actions are imitated in the future.
What are the mediating processes? Explain them and link them to aggression?
(Applying aggression to SLT, AO1)
The mediating processes are: attention, retention, production, and imitation.
If a child has paid attention to a model behaving aggressively, they may then retain this in their memory.
The child may then produce the behaviour themselves (this could be playing out scenarios in their head) and then engaging in the behaviour when the motivation arises.
Humans are not born aggressive. Explain this statement from a social learning theorist, linking your answer to aggression.
Humans acquire aggressive behaviour in the same way as other social behaviours: through indirect experience of observing the actions of others.
In the case of aggression, if a behaviour becomes associated with a reward through observation (vicariously) then the person is more likely to imitate (i.e. be aggressive) in the future.
How can aggression be reinforced as rewarding?
Aggressive behaviour can be observed initially to test the likelihood of a reward and then adopted if it appears to be rewarding.
For example, if a child observes two people fighting and sees other people cheering - then they are more likely to imitate the models behaviour after the event.
What are the mediating processes?
Attention.
Retention.
Reproduction.
Motivation.
Outline ‘attention’ as a mediating process, linking to aggression.
When a person pays attention to someone else’s aggressive behaviour.
Outline ‘retention’ as a mediating process, linking to aggression.
When someone memorises the aggressive behaviour they have observed.
Outline ‘reproduction’ as a mediating process, linking to aggression.
When someone practises the aggressive behaviour they have observed.
Outline ‘motivation’ as a mediating process, linking to aggression.
When someone is given a reason to execute the aggressive behaviour, they may use it.
