Psychology A3 - concept three - behaviourist

Question 1

what is social learning theory (SLT)?

Answer 1

-proposed by Bandura (1962)
-explain how learning often occurs without direct reinforcement
-behaviour can be learned indirectly by observing and imitating others whose behaviour has been reinforced
-Bobo doll study

Question 2

modelling

Answer 2

-can mean two things
1. when a behaviour is demonstrated to another person, person who preforms the behaviour is the model
2. when a person imitates a model’s behaviour, individuals involved are modelling a behaviour
-Bandura’s research, an adult modelled aggressive behaviour towards Bobo doll

Question 3

learning through observation

Answer 3

-observer actively focuses their attention on the model’s behaviour, watches how it is performed
-model’s actions have to be retained in the observer’s memory before repeated
-children observed the adult being aggressive (Bandura’s study)

Question 4

imitation

Answer 4

-observer may copy the model’s behaviour
-more likely if the observer identifies with the model
-happens for two reasons:
1. similarity – observer perceives model to be similar to themselves
2. value – observer values and admires the model
-when the children played with the Bobo doll, they behaved aggressively, imitating it
-more likely to be imitated when the model was the same gender as the child

Question 5

vicarious learning

Answer 5

-behaviour is imitated is the learner is motivated to do so
-depends on observing positive consequences
-if observer sees a model performing an action and being reinforced, the observer is more likely to repeat action
-vicarious (seeing someone else do it) and reinforcing = vicarious reinforcement
-example, young girl sees a thin celebrity having behaviour rewarded by fame, status etc. more inclined to imitate the celebrities looks
-Bobo doll study showed that imitation by children was more likely when adult was rewarded

Question 6

evaluation: practical applications (+)

Answer 6

-SLT can help understand how aggressive behaviour in children can be reduced
-explains the effects of observing aggression in the family, peers and media
-children learn to imitate aggressive models
-suggests interventions like reducing rewards available for aggression, limiting access to violent media and showing non-aggressive role models
-SLT = beneficial as it offers practical ways of reducing undesirable behaviours and increasing desirable ones

Question 7

evaluation: research support (+)

Answer 7

-support from research into a variety of behaviours
-Bandura et al’s research showed children will imitate aggressive adult models, this is more likely when they observe model’s behaviour being reinforced
-some phobias may develop in children as they observe fear in adults (Askew and Field, 2007)
-supports SLT view that behaviours are learned through observation and imitation, vicarious reinforcement plays a key role

Question 8

evaluation: alternative explanation (-)

Answer 8

-social learning has little influence on many behaviours
-some behaviours are better explained by alternative theories
-example, research shows that the occurrence of phobia = greater in identical twins (Kendler et al., 2001)
-same pattern is true for depression (Kendall et al., 2021)
-fact that identical twins are more closely related than non-identical shows that genes play a greater role than social learning
-suggests that SLT isn’t a complete explanation of learning