social learning theory

social learning theory similarity with behaviourist approach

they agree that most behaviour is learnt, which is why both are considered learning approaches.

social learning theory difference from behavioural approach

social learning theory: behaviour can also be learnt from observing others actions

behaviourists: learning occurs from direct experience only

observational learning

when we learning by observing and copying someone else’s behaviour.

imitation and modelling

imitation: when someone copies someone else’s behaviour

modelling: when someone preforms a behaviour which is imitated. they are the model.

Factors Affecting Observational Learning: Identification

identification: people are more likely to imitate a model if they feel similar to them. when somone feels similar to a model we say that they identify with the model.

Factors Affecting Observational Learning: vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment

vicarious reinforcement: when someone imitates a model because they observe the models behaviour being rewarded.

vicarious punishment: when someone is less likely to imitate a model because they observe the models behaviour being punished

learners are less likely to imitate a models behaviour if they observe vicarious punishement, but more likely to imitate the behaviour if they observe vicarious reinforcement

Mediational process

Mental processes that determine whether or not we imitate behaviour are called mediational processes. Involved in observational learning.

Albert Bandura method

Conducted a Labaratory experiment. Test if children can learn by observing adults. Children aged 3-6 years old, 36 boys and 36 girls in total sat in a room filled with toys including a big inflatable bobo clown doll. Split into three groups, one group watched an adult model aggressive behaviour, one group watched an adult model non agressive behaviour, third group didn’t watch an adult at all (control group)

Albert bandura findings

Found that children more likely to act aggressively if they observe an adult modelling aggressive behaviour.

Found that boys are more likely to imitate behaviour if they observe a model of the same gender. Supporting the idea people are more likely to imitate models if they identify with them.

Bandura additional findings

Bandura carried out a second experiment to test how vicarious reinforcement affects behaviour.

• Group 1: Saw adults act aggressively and get rewarded with sweets.

• Group 2: Saw adults act aggressively and get told off/punished.

• Group 3 (control): Saw adults act aggressively with no consequences.

Findings:
Children who saw the adult rewarded were the most aggressive.
Children who saw the adult punished were the least aggressive.

Conclusion:
Children are more likely to imitate behaviour when they see it being rewarded (vicarious reinforcement).

Bandura evaluation - strengths

Labaratory experiment - controlled extraneous variables. ( ie toys available to children). High degree of internal validity, establishing cause and effect.

When repeating studies he found consistent results. Children who observed aggressive behaviour were much more likely to imitate the behaviour unless the adult received a punishment for being aggressive. Suggesting research is reliable.

Bandura evaluation - weakness

Lacks ecological validity - children in study placed in unfamiliar environment with weird looking doll. May have imitated as they didn’t know what to do as they never encountered the doll before. Even if they reliably imitated aggressive behaviour, may not generalise to real life.

Ethical issues - watching a stranger yell at a doll in a room you’ve never been in before may be very scary. Small children didn’t understand what was going on in the experiment . Unable to give informed consent.

SLT strength - incorporates mediational process

One strength is that it is a more holistic model of learning then behaviourist approach. This is because it accounts for the role of mediational processes in learning. This means it recognises people think about behaviour before copying it, rather then just learning through reinforcement. Therefore social learning theory theory provides a more complete explanation of human behaviour.

Strength: practical applications to real world behaviour.

One strength is that it has practical applications to real world behaviours. This is because SLT states that people are more likely to imitate a model if they identify with them and observe them receiving vicarious reinforcement. This explains why children may copy aggressive behaviour seen in parents, peers, or the media, especially when the behaviour appears rewarded. Therefore, SLT is useful because it can be applied to understand and potentially reduce harmful behaviours in society.

Limitation: can’t observe mediational processes

Can’t use scientific method to study mediational processes. Because mediational processes aren’t directly observable. Unlike cognitive approach slt doesn’t offer any other method of testing these processes scientifically. Suggesting we can’t make reliable predictions about observational learning