Social Learning Theory Flashcards
(14 cards)
Who developed Social Learning Theory?
Bandura
What is the main assumption of Social Learning Theory?
People learn through observation and imitation of others, as well as through classical and operant conditioning
What is vicarious reinforcement?
Learning that occurs by observing the consequences (rewards or punishments) of another person’s behaviour.
When is a behaviour more likely to be imitated in SLT?
When it is observed to be rewarded rather than punished.
What are the four mediational processes in SLT?
- Attention – noticing the behaviour
- Retention – remembering the behaviour
- Motor Reproduction – being able to perform the behaviour
- Motivation – wanting to perform the behaviour
Which mediational processes are linked to learning, and which to performance?
• Learning: Attention and Retention
• Performance: Motor Reproduction and Motivation
Does SLT require learning and performance to happen at the same time?
No, behaviour can be learned and stored, then reproduced later.
What is identification in SLT?
When an individual is more likely to imitate someone they identify with, called a role model.
What makes someone a role model in SLT?
They have similar characteristics to the observer, are attractive, or have high status
What is modelling in SLT?
The process of imitating the behaviour of a role model; the role model’s behaviour is also called modelling.
Can role models be people who are not physically present?
Yes, which explains the influence of media on behaviour.
strength (1) of SLT
One strength of the social learning theory approach is that it recognises the importance of cognitive factors in learning.
Neither classical nor operant conditioning can offer an adequate account of learning on their own. Humans and animals store information about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions. As Bandura observed:
‘Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what they do. From observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviours are performed, and on later occasions this coded information serves as a guide to action’ (Bandura 1977).
This suggests that SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes.
limitation of SLT
One limitation of social learning theory is that the evidence on which it is based was gathered through lab studies.
Many of Bandura’s ideas were developed through observation of young children’s behaviour in the lab. Lab studies are often criticised for their contrived nature where participants may respond to demand characteristics.
It has been suggested, in relation to the Bobo doll research that, because the main purpose of the doll is to strike it, the children were simply behaving in a way that they thought was expected.
This suggests that the research may tell us little about how children actually learn aggression in everyday life.
strength (2) of SLT
Another strength is that SLT principles have been applied to a range of real-world behaviours.
Social learning theory has the advantage of being able to explain cultural differences in behaviour. SLT principles, such as modelling, imitation and reinforcement, can account for how children learn from others around them, including the media, and this can explain how cultural norms are transmitted through particular societies. This has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviours, such as how children come to understand their gender role.
This increases the value of the approach as it can account for real-world behaviour.
