Social Learning Theory

Social learnig theory

100

What is the social learning theory?

We can learn through observational learning. We observe the behaviour of a model and the consequences that they experience and then we can either choose to copy or not copy the model.

200

What is vicarious reinforcement/vicarious punishment?

When we observe a model, if he or she is awarded for their action then we are more likely to imitate that behaviour. If he or she is punished for their action then we are less likely to imitate that behaviour.

300

What are the four factors that determines whether social observational learning will occur?

1) Attention- Observers need to pay attention to the model. It depends on observer's perceived capabilities, interest in the behaviour and the attractiveness of the model 2)Retention- Observer's ability to memorise the behaviour 3) Motor reproduction- The observer's ability to reproduce the behaviour 4) Motivation-Observer's motivation to learn and imitate behaviour

400

What are the four factors make it more likely that we will be motivated to imitate a model?

1) Indentification with the model: If the model is similar to us 2) Consistency: Is the model consistent with that behaviour 3) Liking of the model: We usually like models with a higher status 4) Familiarity: Have we seen this model in previous observations before

Bandura and Walters

100

What is the aim of the research?

To investigate the effect vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment in observational learning.

200

The participants were divided into three groups, each group in one of the three different conditions. Each group watched a varied video clip. What are the three conditions ( or variations) of the video clips?

Condition 1: Model being rewarded with soft drinks, candy and encouragement from peers. Condition 2: Model being punished and being shouted at by other adults saying "You are a big bully!" Condition 3: Nothing was done to the model (control group)

300

What happened to the participants after they have watched the clip?

Brought into a room with a bobo doll and toys, then observed through a one way mirror

400

What were the results of the experiment?

Those who had seen the model rewarded for aggressive acts showed a high level of aggression in their own play. Those who had seen the model punished showed a low level of aggression in their play, whereas those in the control group fell between these two levels of aggression.

500

List 3 evaluation points for this study.

Many ethical issues… The is a concern that children were very young and furthermore, that the study may have taught them how to be violent (psychological harm). Low ecological validity: They didn’t know the model, they didn’t interact with the model, questions about appropriateness of the bobo doll. It was a very limited social setting. The novel nature of the Bobo doll encourages people to hit it, without having anything to do with aggression. It may have been more like a game. (Lowers internal validity) A further criticism of the study is that the demonstrations are measured almost immediately. With such snap shot studies, we cannot discover if such a single exposure can have long-term effects. There was manipulation of an IV to see the impact on a DV. There was random allocation of participants to groups. All other variables were controlled. They tested a hypothesis and used standardized instructions. Thus, it was a true experiment allowing for a cause and effect relationship to be established. Standardized instructions allow for replication and similar studies have resulted in similar findings, thus it is highly reliable. Use of children as participants limits the impact of demand characteristics.

Bandura et al

100

What was the aim of this study?

To investigate the role of observational learning in aggression.

200

Who were the participants in this study?

Male and female children aged 3-5 years.

300

How many conditions did this experiment have? Explain each condition.

Condition 1: Exposed to an adult model interacting aggressively to a Bobo doll. Condition 2: Exposed to an adult model that was not aggressive towards the doll.

400

What is the experimental design and procedure of this study?

Independent Groups Design. After observing the model, the participants were then placed in a room full of toys and asked not to play with them. ( Just to make then angry.) They were then moved to a room with toys and a Bobo doll. The room had a one way mirror for observation.

500

What were the results of Bandura et al's study? Provide 2 evaluation points for the study.

The children who observed the aggressive model produced a great deal of aggressive acts towards the Bobo doll (resembling those of the model). Those in the non-aggressive condition did not produce any aggressive acts towards the Bobo doll. Possible evaluation points: There was manipulation of an IV to see the impact on a DV. There was random allocation of participants to groups. All other variables were controlled. They tested a hypothesis and used standardized instructions. Thus, it was a true experiment allowing for a cause and effect relationship to be established. Standardized instructions allow for replication and similar studies have resulted in similar findings, thus it is highly reliable. Use of children as participants limits the impact of demand characteristics. Many ethical issues… The is a concern that children were very young and furthermore, that the study may have taught them how to be violent (psychological harm). Low ecological validity: They didn’t know the model, they didn’t interact with the model, questions about appropriateness of the bobo doll. It was a very limited social setting. The novel nature of the Bobo doll encourages people to hit it, without having anything to do with aggression. It may have been more like a game. (Lowers internal validity) A further criticism of the study is that the demonstrations are measured almost immediately. With such snap shot studies, we cannot discover if such a single exposure can have long-term effects.