Psychology - Social Learning Theory

Assumptions of SLT

• Behaviour learned from the environment, genetics does not influence behaviour

• Behaviour learned through observing and imitating successful role models

• Likelihood of behaviour being imitated increases if it is seen as being rewarded (vicarious reinforcement)

• SLT considers meditational processes and cognitive factors - information learned from other behaviour must be understood, coded, stored, then retrieved when necessary

Key concepts of SLT

• Imitation: Copying the behaviours of role models

• Identification: Individual being influenced by/identifying with a role model who share similar qualities with them and whom they wish to be like, usually same gender, high status, etc

• Modelling: An individual imitating a role model’s behaviour

• Vicarious reinforcement: Occurs when an individual sees someone else rewarded for certain actions, making it more likely for them to imitate the model’s actions

Meditational processes in SLT for successful imitation to take place

• Attention: being attentive to the role model’s behaviour

• Retention: coding and storing the observed behaviour in their memory

• Reproduction: Observer must be capable of copying the behaviour

• Motivation: Having good reason for reproducing the behaviour, e.g. motivation by reward

• Bandura’s research (1961)

• Aimed to investigate the impact of observing aggressive behaviour from a role model on children 

• 3-5 year olds divided into three groups - an aggressive model group, a non-aggressive model group and a group without any model 

• Children were then observed and rated for how they interacted with the Bobo doll 

• Children who saw the aggressive role model were much more aggressive physically and verbally 

• Shows how observation of behaviours can lead to imitative learning

Evaluation of SLT

• Strength: Has good external validity as can be applied to settings outside of the experiment, contributed to understanding of the causes of certain behaviours so children can be protected from exposure to violent role models

• Strength: less deterministic than the behaviourist approach as emphasises reciprocal determinism, suggesting there is free will

• Limitation: doesn’t take into account biological factors, e.g. boys were observed to be more aggressive than girls in his study but this is also due to hormonal levels, this casts doubt on whether learning is a major explanation for behaviour 

• Limitation: ethical issues as unsure whether this exposure to aggression has long term detrimental consequences where children will be permanently violent