Learning approaches: Social learning theory

What is the social learning theory?

A way of explaining behaviour that included both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors

Imitation

Copying the behaviour of others

Identification

A desire to be associated with a particular person or group, often because the person/group possesses certain desirable characteristics 

What is modeling?

1. From an observer’s perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model

2. From the role model perspective, modelling is the precise demonstration of a specific behaviour that may be imitated by an observer 

Vicarious reinforcement

1. Key factor in imitation

2. Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else reinforced for a behaviour

What are mediational processes?

Cognitive factors (i.e., thinking) that influence learning and come between stimulus and response

What are the theory’s assumptions?

1. Bandura agreed with the behaviourists that behaviour is learned from experience but his SLT proposed that people learn through observation and imitation of others (i.e., it’s social—involving others)

2. SLT suggested that learning occurs directly through classical/operant conditioning but also indirectly

What is vicarious reinforcement?

1. For indirect learning to occur, an individual observes the behaviour of others 

2. The learner may imitate this behaviour but imitation only really occurs if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded rather than punished, i.e., vicarious reinforcement occurs

3. The learner observes a behaviour and the consequences of it