Social Learning Theory

Question 1

4 assumptions for SLT

Answer 1

1) Learning occurs by observing role models
2) Thought processes that lie between stimulus and response influence behaviour
3) Learning can be a result of direct and indirect reinforcement
4) Mind, behaviour and environment ALL play a role in learning

Question 2

SLT is a bridge between what 2 approaches

Answer 2

Cognitive and behaviourist

Question 3

What criticism can be made about cognitive and behaviourist approaches about its claims of the way humans think

Answer 3

Behaviourism= - Doesn’t take human thought into account

Cognitive= - Doesn’t account for individuality

Question 4

What are the 3 things social learning theory takes into account, during the cognitive processes involved in learning

Answer 4

• Mind
• Behaviour
• Environment

Question 5

What are the 4 mediating cognitive factors

Answer 5

1) Attention
2) Retention
3) Motivation
4) Reproduction

Question 6

Whats imitation

Answer 6

Term to describe when an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it.

Question 7

What’s identification

The 4 factors

Answer 7

Identification is how you associate someone with you

1) Similarity to you
2) How likeable they are
3) High status
4) Reinforced/punished

Question 8

What’s modelling

Answer 8

Modelling- demonstrating behaviour

• Humans learn through modelling- Modelling involves learning through the observation of other people (models), which may lead to imitation (repetition) of the behaviour

Question 9

What’s vicarious reinforcement

Answer 9

Term used to describe the reinforcement the observer sees the model receiving. They do not receive the reward themselves, they see someone else get it

When it’s vicarious the person learns by observing the consequences of another persons behaviour

Question 10

Influences on learning

Reinforcement and punishment influence the extent…

Answer 10

To which an individual exhibits a behaviour that has been learned.

Question 11

Attention to and retention to prior events affects our…

Answer 11

Motivation to reproduce a behaviour

Question 12

Who is being directly reinforced

Who is being vicariously reinforced

Answer 12

• Directly reinforced= person receiving the reward

- Vicariously reinforced= the audience

Question 13

Explain what involves learning

Paragraph

Answer 13

• Learning involves observation of other people (models), which may lead to imitation of behaviour.
• SLT assumes, unlike behaviourism it does however allow that processes/thoughts are important in how people learn behaviour

Question 14

Do humans always perform behaviour that’s learned

Answer 14

It acknowledges that we might learn a behaviour, but choose not to perform it ourselves, due to not being motivated

Question 15

Evidence for social learning theory

Method and 3 conditions

Answer 15

• Method= Children showed a video of a bobo doll being hit, to see if they’ll imitate the behaviour
• Conditions:
  1) An adult commented positively on the behaviour (vicarious reinforcement)
  2) An adult commented negatively (vicarious punishment)
  3) No comment was made (Control Condition)

Question 16

Conclusion of Banduras study

Answer 16

• Boys acted more aggressively than girls
• Getting a reward (vicarious reinforcement) and no consequences showed no difference in aggression
• Vicarious punishment reduced aggression

Question 17

Results of banduras study

Answer 17

• Imitations are lower when there’s a reward and no consequences
• Punishment results in lower imitations

Question 18

Evaluation of banduras study

Answer 18

• very artificial environment therefore validity is low

- Unethical, can teach kids to go and beat everyone up

Question 19

How can process of identification explain the high incidence of eating disorders?

Answer 19

Unobtainable pictures from the press/news, attempts to imitate will be unsuccessful, mental health problems and eating disorders will be the result

Question 20

Evaluation of SLT

Answer 20

• Builds upon weaknesses of behaviourism and cognitive approach. Strength because explains real life behaviour more comprehensively
• SLT uses lab studies. Limitation, can’t be applied to real life
• States humans learn from observation. Limitation, doesn’t account for spontaneous behaviour
• Doesn’t take into account biological factors such as hormones. Limitation, not a comprehensive explanation for behaviour
• SLT accounts for current phenomena like models being photoshopped creating unobtainable images. Strength, behaviour modelled is unrealistic and can’t be replicated