Social Cognitive Theory

Question 1

Social Cognitive Theory assumes what?

Answer 1

humans learn behavior through observational learning because we see the model being observed rewarded or punished, creating motivation to imitate.

Question 2

The cognitive “mediating processes” that Bandura argued play a role in whether we will imitate a model or not

Answer 2

Attention, Retention, Motivation, Potential

Question 3

Attention

Answer 3

To imitate a behavior, it is vital that the observer pays attention to the model’s behavior and its consequences to form a mental representation of the behavior and determine vicarious reinforcement.

Question 4

Retention

Answer 4

It is important that the observer forms a memory of the behavior so it can be performed later.

Question 5

Motivation

Answer 5

There has to a desire and motivation to imitate the behavior, which is mostly determined by the vicarious reinforcement involved.

Question 6

Potential

Answer 6

The observer must feel that they have a high enough level of self-efficacy in imitating the behavior in order for them to even try modelling the behavior.

Question 7

Other factors influencing the likelihood of imitation beyond the 4 key mediating processes

Answer 7

• Whether the model is a member of our in-group
• Whether we like the model
• Whether we like the reward that the model received

Question 8

Self efficacy

Answer 8

a person’s belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation.

Question 9

Social Learning

Answer 9

Learning through the observation of the behaviors of others.

Question 10

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 10

When a learner observes someone they identify with and the role model receives a reward, the learner is motivated to imitate the behavior as if they had been rewarded themselves. This is also the case with vicarious punishment.

Question 11

Bandura (1961)

Answer 11

Aim: Investigate whether children would imitate aggressive behavior observed in adults

Sample:
Around 70 children aged 3 to 6

Procedure:
The sample was divided into 3 groups. One group was the aggressive model group, where an adult would hit a bobo doll while making sounds. The 2nd group was the non-aggressive model, where an adult would ignore the bob doll, and play with the other toys. The 3rd group was the control group, where there was no model. In the first 2 conditions, participants would initially sit in a room with the model and toys. After the child observed their model, the child was made mildly frustrated by being shown toys that they could not play with. Then, the child was placed in a room with both aggressive and non-aggressive toys, including a Bobo doll. Observers watched through a one-way mirror and recorded the children’s behavior in 5-second intervals over 20 minutes, noting whether they imitated the adult’s aggression or displayed other aggressive actions.

Findings:
Children who saw the aggressive model made more aggressive acts than the children who saw the non-aggressive model. Additionally, participants were more likely to show aggression if they identified with the model through gender.

Link to Social Cognitive Theory:
Participants were more likely to imitate the behavior of the aggressive model or non-aggressive model through an observational period where attention, retention, motivation and self-efficacy was easily enabled. Furthermore, participants were more likely to imitate the behavior of the model if they identified the model as being part of their in group, which was seen in the findings of the study through the model’s and participant’s gender.