Bahaviourism-learning Thories (ind) Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is the key idea of learning theories?
Deviant behaviour a learnt.
What are the 2 key learning theories and theorists?
Albert Bandura (1961-1976)- the social learning theory : the Bobo doll experiment. - People learn by watching the behaviours of others and positive or negative reinforcement.
- If children watch adults gaining pleasure from an activity, or being punished, they will either repeat, or reject, behaviours.
Edwin Sutherland (1939) – differential association theory. - Norms, values, attitudes, techniques, and motives that do or do not lead to criminal behaviour are learned through one’s interactions with others. Different learning takes place through different people or associations
According to behaviourism, what are the three ways that behaviour is learned?Briefly explain each one.
a) classical conditioning – a neutral stimulus is associated with a natural response.
b) operant conditioning- a response is increased or decreased due to reinforcement or punishment.
c) observational learning- learning occurs through observation and imitation of others.
Describe the 4 stages of learning behaviour.
Attention – a person observes and pays attention to someone else’s behaviour.
Encoding – they memorise the behaviour they have learned.
Imitation – they practise the behaviour themselves.
Motivation – given a reason – some sort of ‘reward’ (approval, need met, treat), they repeat the behaviour.
Three key points arising from the Social Learning Theory of Albert Bandura (1965 and 1976) are:
a) people learn by watching the behaviour of others – and positive or negative reinforcement.
b) If children watch adults gaining pleasure from an activity, or being punished, they will either repeat, or reject, behaviours.
c) aggression can be learned from watching others behave in an aggressive manner
Explain Bandura’s Bobo Doll Study
The Bobo doll experiment (or experiments) is the collective name for a series of experiments performed by psychologist Albert Bandura to test his social learning theory. Between 1961 and 1963, he studied children’s behaviour after watching an adult model act aggressively towards a Bobo doll.
The most notable variation of the experiment measured the children’s behaviour after seeing the adult model rewarded, punished, or experience no consequence for physically abusing the Bobo doll.
These experiments demonstrate that people learn not only by being rewarded or punished (operant conditioning) but they can also learn from watching someone else being rewarded or punished.
These studies have practical implications, such as providing evidence of how children can be influenced by watching violent behaviour of adults and, also, violent media
Bobo doll study: method.
Experiment of 1961: Method
The participants in these experiments consisted of 72 children from the Stanford University nursery school between the ages of 37 months and 69 months. For the experiments, a third of the children were exposed to an aggressive model. Another third were exposed to a non-aggressive model. The rest of the participants formed the control group.
Bobo doll experiment: results.
Bandura found that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to
pursue physically aggressive behaviour than those who were not exposed to the aggressive model. The results concerning gender differences strongly satisfied Bandura’s prediction that same-sex models have more influence over children. Results also showed that boys exhibited more aggression when exposed to aggressive male models than aggressive female models.
While the results for the girls show similar findings, they were less drastic.
Arguments for Bandura‘s social learning theory
The bobo doll experiment showed the model did have an effect on the child’s behaviour. Thus, it showed cause and effect.
The experiment and variables, such as the gender and the actions of the model, were
controlled, thus allowing greater accuracy.
The study has been replicated with slight changes and similar results have been found.
Arguments against Bandura’s social learning theory.
The bob doll experiment has very low ecological validity. And modelling happens with someone you are familiar with- not a stranger like in the experiment.
The experiment involves ethical issues due to exposing the children to aggression with the understanding that they would imitate it.
There are therefore issues concerning the protection of the child from both psychological and physical harm.
There was a novelty aspect of the doll for the children who had never played with it before the experiment which means they would be 5 times as likely to imitate the adult.
It ignores possible biological and sociological causes of crime.
Arguments for behavioural learning theories in general.
It emphasises the value of the surrounding environment and role models.
The idea provides a sufficient justification for how many behaviours, including violence, are learned.
The theory appears to be accurate and testable and offers a good understanding and clarification of taught behaviour.
Arguments against behavioural learning theories.
Critics argue that behaviourism focuses solely on external behaviour and overlooks the influence of internal cognitive processes.
It may not fully address complex learning, creativity, and critical thinking skills which are essential in today’s education.
Excessive reliance on behaviourist techniques may lead to a rigid and overly controlled learning environment, limiting students’ autonomy and creativity.
Strengths of operant conditioning.
it is applicable to a large variety of different crimes and it explains very well how social
approval can be a vital reinforcer in peer groups, operant conditioning can also explain how punishment works in removing undesirable behaviours, as this is how procedures work in the criminal
justice system in the UK.
Weaknesses of operant conditioning
not all crimes are committed due to reinforcement or punishment because criminal behaviour is thought to be far more complex than this, including other factors such as personality and
genetic inheritance, behaviour is often reproduced when there has been no reinforcement or punishment – people may resort to criminal behaviour because of other reasons, such as revenge. The
theory cannot account for this type of criminal motivation.
