SocialLearningTheory

SocialLearningTheory

1. Tarde 1912: there are key characterstics of imitation. Behaviour of models, copying of the behaviour of those with a higher status, degree of contact with the role model, degree of understanding of the behaviour.

2. Reciprocal Determinism

   • A theory set forward by Bandura. A person's behaviour both influences and is influenced by personal factors and the social environment.

3. Self-efficiacy

   • Knowing your own abilities and being confident with them.

4. Observation

   • Bandura and Walters 1963. Traditional learning theory could not be used where only direct experience can be seen as responsible for acquisition of behaviour (in opposition to Skinner's operant conditioning). SLT suggests we also learn by observing others and oberving role models. We may have a potential for aggression biologically, but it is the expression of aggression that is learned. Children also learn and observe about the consequences of aggressive behaviour through vicarious reinforcement (indirect, watching others be rewarded or punished).
     • Bandura thought that SLT had 4 basic processes
       • 1. Attention 2. Retention 3. Reproduction 4. Motivation

5. Mental Representation

   • Bandura claimed that in order for social learning to take place, children must form mental representations of events in their social environment.The child must also represent possible rewards and punishments for their aggression in terms of expectancies of future outcomes. When appropriate opportunities arise, the child will display the learned behaviur as long as the expectation of reward is greater than the expectation of punishment.

6. Production of Behaviour

   • Maintenance through direct experience: if a child is rewarded they are more likely to repeat the same action in similar situations in the future.
   • Self-efficiacy expectations: the child will develop confidence in their ability to carry out these actions. Children for whom this form of behaviour has been disastrous in the past have less confidence in their ability to use aggression to succesfully resolve conflicts, and therefore may turn to other means.