Social Learning Theory (A01)

Social Learning Theory (A01)

1. Bandura and Walters believe we learn the expression of aggressive behaviours by observing others.

   • BOBO DOLL STUDY
     • Supports predictions of SLT
     • Children observed aggressive and non aggressive adult models and then were tested for imitative learning in absence of model
       • Ppts were female and male children ranging from age of 3-5. Half were exposed to adult models interacting aggressively with a life sized inflatable Bobo Doll and half exposed to models being non aggressive towards the doll
         • The model displayed distinctive physically aggressive acts towards the doll eg striking on head with a mallet and kicking it about the room, accompanied by verbal aggression such as "POW"
           • Following exposure to the model, children were frustrated by being shown attractive toys which they were not allowed to play with. Then they were taking to a room where among other toys there was a bobo doll.
             • Children in the aggression condition reproduced a good deal of physically and verbally aggressive behaviour resembling that of the model. Children in the non aggressive group exhibited virtually no aggression towards the doll
               • Approximately 1/3 of the children in the aggressive condition repeated the model verbal responses while none of the children in the non-aggressive group made such remarks. Boys reproduced more imitative physical aggression than girls but they did not differ in their imitation of verbal aggression
     • This study does tell us that children aquire aggression from watching others but it doesn't tell us why they're motivated to imitate model in absence of model (Aggressive). Later study by Bandura found children who saw model being rewarded for aggressive behaviour showed high level of aggression in their own play. Those who saw model being punished showed a low level of aggression in their own play. Those who saw no reward and no punishment (control group) for model were somewhere between the two levels of aggression. This shows vicarious learning as they learnt the likely consequences of actions and adjusted their behaviours accordingly.

2. Mental Representation

   • Bandura claims that in order for social learning to take place children must form mental representations of events
   • Must represent potential rewards and punishments for aggressive behaviours and create expectancies of future outcomes
   • When opportunities arise in future, the child will display learnt behaviour as long as the expectation of reward is greater than puishment

3. Observation

   • Children primarily learn aggressive responses through observation and imitation
   • Skinner stated that through operant conditioning we learn via direct reinforcement. Bandura however states that we observe role models and imitate their behaviour
   • Observe and learn consequences too- we imitate behaviour depending whether it is rewarded or punished. This is vicarious/ indirect reinforcement

4. Production of beahviour

   • Maintenance through direct experience- if a child is rewarded for a behaviour they're more likely to repeat it in future
   • Self efficacy expectancies- develop confidence in their ability to carry out the necessary aggressive actions. Children who weren't very good as aggression in the past have less confidence in their ability to use aggression successfully to resolve conflicts so they turn to other means