Social Learning theory

Social Learning theory

1. Basic Assumptions

   • Behaviour is learnt from a combination of observation of other's behaviour and expectations of reinforcement or punishment for copying what is seen
   • combines principles from the behaviourist and cognitive approaches
     • behaviourism
       • similarities
         • behaviour learnt
         • role of reinforcement
       • differences
         • SLT looks forwards not backwards
         • SLT distinguishes between learning and performance
         • animals not seen the same as humans in SLT
     • cognitive
       • similarities
         • role of cognitive processes
         • focus on human behaviour rather than animals
       • differences
         • cognitive doesnt look at observational learning
         • cog focuses more on cog processes e.g. schemas
         • SLT focuses more on external behaviour whil cog is more internal
   • imitation of others' behaviour is a key idea

2. Methods

   • experiments
   • observations

3. Researchers

   • Bandura
     • Bobo doll experiment

4. Impact

   • School Psychology
     • Many classroom and teaching strategies draw on principles of social learning to enhance students' knowledge acquisition and retention
     • teachers can shape the classroom behavior of students by modelling appropriate behavior and visibly rewarding students for good behavior

5. Application to Topics

   • Forensics
     • learn criminal behaviour through vicarious reinforcement
   • Gender
     • same sex parent acts as one of the models for gender role development

6. Debates

   • Reciprocal Determinism
     • mutual interaction between a person, behaviour and environment
       • Environment determines behaviour and behaviour determines the environment
         • different individuals seek out different experiences
     • element of soft determinism
       • a person reasons when deciding how to act and exercise choice
   • Interactionist
     • stress the role of the environment ;friends, family role models etc (nurture)
       • acknowledge cog processes which affect behaviour (nature)
   • Less reductionist than behaviourists
     • consider external and internal factors
   • Nomothetic
     • establishes general laws/ principles of behaviour