Learning Theories Practical

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Aim: to investigate if there is a gender difference in behaviour on the school bus such as pro-social behaviours and politeness.

Null Hypothesis: there will be no relationship between gender and pro-social behaviours on a school bus.

Alternative Hypothesis: there will be a relationship between gender and pro-social behaviour on a school bus (two-tailed)

Background: Social learning theory can be used to explain gender differences in society. We learn gender appropriate behaviours from the people around us. The theory can therefore explain stereotypes in society such as females being kind, helpful and perhaps more polite and friendly. These behaviours may be modelled and rewarded in females more than in males. Previous studies have suggested that there is in fact no difference in pro-social behaviours whereas others suggest that there is. E.g. females give more to charity than men (Leslie et al 2013). This may therefore suggest that females show more helpful polite behaviours on school transport than males e.g. giving up a seat, helping others with bags, polite interactions with the driver and other passengers, making way for others to get off the bus.

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Method/ Procedure

Non-participant

Covert

Snapshot

Naturalistic

Structured, event sampling

Quantitative - Checklist of behaviours include: giving up a seat, helping someone with their bags, helping someone get on/off the bus, thanking the driver, making way for others to get off the bus

Qualitative - write down specific quotes

Will observe for 30 mins

Opportunity sampling - only way to keep the observation covert

To ensure students aren't aware they're being observed - conceal checklist in a homework book, sit at the back of the bus, do checklist on phone

Possible that there are no ethical issues as its in public - free country

Ppts = males and females aged 11-18

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Evaluation

Strengths:

no gender bias

High ecological validity

High mundane realism

Little chance of demand characteristics

Little chance of social desireability

Possible to have no ethical issues so long as confidentiality is kept

pre-written checklist means less bias from observer

Weaknesses:

just one event - may be unique

can't replicate due to low levels of control

with structured observation it may limit the options on the checklist if something unexpected comes up

with event sampling, things may happen too quickly to tally everything

one observer - low inter-rater reliability

Age bias, culture bias, small sample

for recording qualitative data, can easily be subjective

ethical issues - no informed consent

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Improvements:

Have more than one observer - increase inter-rater reliability

Use larger, more representative sample

Record activity on bus rather than taking quotes - more objective