Bandure

Question 1

Summary

Answer 1

Bandura argued that people learn by observingthe
behaviour of others. If a person watches a person be
rewarded for behaviour, they are more likely to
imitate that behaviour. This is known as vicarious
reinforcement.

Question 2

Core

Answer 2

Anti-social behaviour is learned
by watching role models. The person copying the
behaviour must feel motivated—either for
excitement (internal) or because they expect
rewards (external).

Question 3

Expanded

Answer 3

Seeing aggression in the
media can lead people to copy it, sometimes
becoming “copycat” criminals.

Question 4

Experiment

Answer 4

Investigated the extent to which children imitate
aggressive behaviour, overall, closest imitation was
the same gender. (Children watched an adult act aggressively or non aggressively towards a bobo doll)

Question 5

Strength

Answer 5

➤Reliable, evidence-based
➤ Shows clear cause-effect (e.g.,
Bobo Doll experiment).

Question 6

Weakness

Answer 6

➤Lacks ecological validity
➤ Lab-based, may not apply to real
life.
➤ Ethical issue: Children may be
negatively influenced

Question 7

Policy

Answer 7

A token economy for offenders is a reward system used
within prisons to encourage good behaviour from
offenders, by giving them tokens, that they can then
exchange for something they would like such as
extra free time out of their cell, additional visits, food,
money, other privileges

Question 8

How can crime be controlled through this

Answer 8

Token economy encourages prosocial behaviour in
prison settings by rewarding cooperation, and
rule-following, this makes positive behaviour become
more attractive, and over time, it can condition offenders
to behave in a socially acceptable way, reducing the
likelihood of reoffending.

Question 9

What theory’s is influenced by this

Answer 9

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Experiment - Bobo Doll
Investigated the extent to which children imitate
aggressive behaviour, overall, closest imitation was
the same gender.
- In a token economy, positive behaviour is rewarded with tokens
(reinforcement), which encourages individuals to repeat
that behaviour. Offenders may also observe others
receiving tokens for good behaviour and be motivated to
imitate it themselves