Social Learning Theory

Social Learning Theory

1. Assumptions

   • How behaviour is learned
     • Learned from experience and environment NOT influenced by genetics
     • Bandura believed that mediational processes are essential for learning to take place
     • We think about our actions before doing them
     • Social learning theorists ONLY study human behaviour
   • Learning occurs directly and indirectly
     • Directly -> classical and operant conditioning  Indirectly -> vicarious
     • Operant and classical conditioning
     • Vicarious
   • They believe in using lab based experiments to objectively study behaviour

2. How a child learns a new behaviour

   • Modelling
   • Identification
   • Imitation

3. Bandura et al (1961)

   • Aim
     • To demonstrate observational or imitative learning in young children
   • Method
     • A
       • Children were put into a room, one at a time, with an adult who behaved in an aggressive way towards a bobo doll. The adult hit the doll with a hammer and shouted abuse at it.
     • B
       • One at a time children were put into a room where an adult behaved in a subdued, non-aggressive way toward the doll.
   • Results
     • More aggressive acts were recorded for the children who had observed an adult behave aggressively than children who had not. Boys were generally more aggressive than girls.
   • Conclusion
     • Exposure to a model behaving aggressively results in observational learning and aggressive behaviour.

4. Role of mediational processes