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Learning Approaches: Social Learning Theory (SLT) - Coggle Diagram
Learning Approaches: Social Learning Theory (SLT)
Assumptions
Albert Bandura
- agreed with behaviourist that behaviour is learned from experiences but it doesn't account for ALL learning.
SLT
= people learn from
observing & imitating
others with a social context
learning occurs:
directly (classical & operant conditioning)
indirectly (vicarious reinforcement)
SLT suggests cognitive factors intervene with learning
(mediational processes)
people are more likey to imitate those who they identify with
(identification)
Key study: Bandura's Bobo doll experiment.
Study A:
~ Bandura et al. (1961) recorded behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards a bobo doll.
~adult hit the doll and shouted abuse at it.
~when children were later observed playing with various toys, including a bobo doll, the behaved much more aggressively towards the doll than the other toys when compared to those who observed a non-aggressive adult.
Study B:
~ Bandura, together with Richard Walters, showed videos to children where an adult behaved aggressively towards a bobo doll.
~ group 1 saw the adult praised for their behaviour (being told 'well done')
~ group 2 saw the adult punished for their aggression towards the doll (being told off)
~ group 3 (control group) saw the aggression without any consequence
~ when given their own bobo doll to play with, group 1 showed much more aggression, followed by group 3 then group 2.
Vicarious Reinforcement
for indirect learning to occur, an individual must observe the behaviour of others.
learner may imitate this behaviour however in reality, behaviour is only likely to be imitated if said behaviour is seen to be rewarded (positively reinforced) rather than punished.
Observing the consequence of behaviour is key!
vicarious reinforcement = reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour. this is a key factor in imitation
The role of mediational processes
SLT = bridge between behaviourism & cognitive approach
it focuses on how mental (cognitive) factors are involved in learning.
these mental factors mediate (i.e. intervene) in the learning process to determine whether a new response is acquired
Bandura identified 4 mediational processes in learning (ARMM):
Attention
- the extent to which we notice certain behaviours
Retention
- how well the behaviour is remembered
Motor reproduction
- the ability of the observer to perform the behaviour
motivation
- the will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished
unlike behaviourism, the learning & performance of behaviour need not occur at the same time.
observed behaviour may be stored by the observer and reproduced at a later time.
identification
Identification
= people (especially children) are more likely to imitate people they identify with - i.e.
role models
the role model is
modelling
behaviours
observers who identify with them due to similar characteristics/attractiveness/status then imitate their behaviours
Evaluation
Cognitive factors
P: SLT shows importance of cog factors in learning
E: humans & some animals store info about behaviour of others & use this for judging what situations behaviours are appropriate in
E: strength - provides a more detailed & comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognising the role of mediational processes
counterpoint
P: SLT has been criticised for making too little reference to the influence of biological factors on social learning
E: despite bandura claiming natural biological differences influence our learning potential, he thought that learning itself was determined by the env. however, recent research suggests observational learning, of the kind Bandura researched, may be the result or
mirror neurons
in the brain, allowing us to empathise with and imitate others
E: weakness - SLT doesn't stres importance of biological factors of learning.
contrived lab studies
P: evidence for which SLT is based on was gathered through lab studies
E: a lot of bandura's ideas were developed through observation of young children's behaviour in the lab. However lab studies are often criticised for their tendencies of producing demand characteristics within ppts. i'ts suggested that within the bobo doll exp. the children simply behaved in the way they thought they were expected to (since the purpose of a bobo doll it to hit it).
E: weakness - suggests the research may tell us little of how children actually learn aggression in everyday life.
real-life application
P: SLT principles have been applied to a range of real-world behaviours
E: SLT has an advantage in that it can explain cultural differences in behaviour. principles such as imitation, modelling, and reinforcement can account for how children learn from others around them including the media, and this can explain how social/cultural norms are transmitted through particular societies. this has proved useful in understanding a range of behaviour such as how children come to understand their gender role.
E: strength - this increases the value of the approach as it can account for real-world behaviour