Learning Approaches: Social learning theory

Learning Approaches: Social learning theory

1. Key Assumptions

   • Beh. is learned from experience with the environment.
   • Beh. is learned from observation and imitation of others and the presence of vicarious reinforcement/punishment.
   • IMP (language ,perception ,memory ,attention and thinking) play a role in beh. acquisition.

2. Bandura 1961: BoBo doll -half were exposed to adult being aggressive to it- half were exposed to non aggressive-children in aggressive group displayed more aggression.

3. Bandura 1963: one group saw aggressive being reinforced- one group saw aggressive being punished and one group saw no consequence- group with reinforcement were most aggressive to the doll - supports vicarious reinforcement.

4. Vicarious Reinforcement: observing other peoples beh. and taking notes of its consequences -beh. that is rewarded is more likely to be imitated than punished beh.

5. Mediational Processes: Attention, Retention, Reproduction, Motivation.

6. Positive Evaluation: emphasises the importance of cognitive factors (humans store info to know when it is appropriate to perform certain actions -more full explanation with mediational processes)-- Can account for cultural differences ( learning from others, the media- learning gender roles-biological is the only one to explain universal beh.)

7. Negative Evaluation: SLT relies too much on lab exp. (Bandura- DC)--SLT underestimates influence of biological factors (Bandura-boys showed more aggression than girls- more testosterone).