Session 7: Social Learning Theory. Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies.

The Sociocultural Level of Analysis

Session 7: Social Learning Theory

Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies

Learning Outcome

What the command term means:

Explain: Give a detailed account including

reasons or causes.

How does a society or culture pass on its norms to individuals within that group?

One of most predominant explanations is Albert Bandura’s social learning theory

Theory assumes that humans learn behaviour through observational learning

People can learn by watching models and imitating their behaviour

How does a society or culture pass on its norms to individuals within that group?

Sometimes the model is trying to have a direct effect on the learner e.g. a teacher and a student

But, often models serve as indirect models, in that they are not trying to influence behaviour

Observational Learning

Observational Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mhe6p3Xkzt0

According to Bandura (1977), social learning depends on the following factors:

1. Attention: the person must pay attention to the model

2. Retention: the observer must be able to remember the behaviour that has been observed

3. Motor reproduction: observer has to be able to replicate the action

4. Motivation*: learners must want to demonstrate what they have learned

Social Learning Theory

According to theory motivation to learn is quite complex and several factors influence whether observer wants to learn

Factors affecting motivation to learn:

Consistency: if model behaves in a way that is consistent across situations, observer is more likely to imitate

Identification with the model: tendency to imitate models who are like ourselves e.g. age and gender

Rewards/punishment: Seeing others benefit/be punished for their actions. This is called vicarious reinforcement

Liking the model: warm and friendly models are more likely to be imitated- Yarrow et al (1970) found children more likely to imitate altruistic behaviour from people who they have already developed a friendly relationship with compared to a stranger

Motivation to imitate what has been learned

Two aims:1. To investigate whether children would imitate

aggression modeled by an adult2. To see if children were more likely to imitate same sex

models

Participants 72 children aged 3-6 years 36 boys and 36 girls Children were divided into 3 groups Groups were matched with regards to levels of

aggression based on an evaluation from parents and teachers

Bandura and Ross (1961)

Condition Description

Aggressive Model

Exposed to adult models who showed aggression by bashing an inflatable “Bobo” doll

Non-aggressive model Observed a non-aggressive adult who assembled toys for 10 minutes

Control No model observed

Bandura & Ross (1961)

After watching the models, the children were placed in a room with toys

Very soon, they were taken out of the room, being told that these toys were for other children and were then put into a room with the Bobo doll

Bandura and Ross (1961)

Results Children who had observed the aggressive

model were significantly more aggressive- both verbally and physically- towards the Bobo doll

According to Bandura, the theory of social learning theory was demonstrated in the study, since the children showed signs of observational learning

Bandura et al (1961)

Results Bandura also observed that girls were more likely to

imitate verbal aggression and boys were more likely to imitate physical aggression

When boys observed women bashing the Bobo doll, they often made comments like “ladies shouldn’t do that!”

Children were more likely to imitate same-sex models

Bandura & Ross (1961)

Low Ecological Validity

Experiment has been criticised for low ecological validity. Not only was the study carried out in a laboratory, there were other factors which made the situation artificial:

Only a brief encounter with the model Children were intentionally frustrated after they were put

in toy room Could be argued study does little to demonstrate what

happens if a child is repeatedly exposed to aggressive parents or violence on television

Does aggression against a Bob doll indicate learned aggression in general or is it highly specific to this situation

Evaluation of Bandura & Ross (1961)

Other methodological issues

Aggression modeled by adults was not completely standardised meaning children may have observed slight differences in aggression displayed

Despite attempts to match participants on levels of aggression across groups, the evaluations were based on observations from teachers and parent which may not be accurate or reliable.

Question of demand characteristics: children may have acted aggressively because they thought it would please the researcher

Evaluation of Bandura & Ross (1961)

Ethics

Use of young children is ethically questionable

Observing adult strangers act in an aggressive manner may have been frightening for children

Teaching aggressive behaviour to children also questionable. No guarantee that if aggressive behaviour was learned that it would be reversible

Evaluation of Bandura & Ross (1961)

Social learning theory has been used to explain many things

According to social learning theory, there is a chance that violence on television will lead to more violent children

But is this so?

Applying the theory to real life

Does exposure to violence on television teach children to be aggressive?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxyTO-Q40u4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6_lQrvGA44

Many studies indicate that by watching aggression children will learn how to be aggressive in new ways and they also draw conclusions about whether being aggressive to others will lead to reward or punishment

Media violence and learned aggression

Huesmann and Eron (1986) Carried out a longitudinal study Monitored children’s behaviour over a 15 year period Found a positive correlation between number of

hours of violence watched on television by elementary school children and the level of aggression demonstrated when they were teenagers

Also found those who watched a lot of television violence when they were 8 years old were more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for criminal acts as adults

Media violence and learned aggression

So exposure to violent television teaches violence…right?

Charlton et al (2002) Conducted a natural experiment Island of St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean

The other side of the argument

Aim: to investigate whether children would exhibit more aggressive

behaviour after the introduction to the island in 1995Procedure: children aged 3-8 were observed before and after the

introduction of television Content analysis of TV showed level of violence on television

matched what children in UK generally exposed to Behaviour observed through the use of video cameras that

were set up in the playgrounds of 2 primary schools on the island

Researchers also conducted interviews with teachers,

parents and some of the older children

Charlton et al (2002)

Results: Analysis of hundreds of hours of videotape,

backed up by interview data showed there was no increase in aggressive or anti-social behaviour.

This was also the case after five years

Charlton et al (2002)

Parents and teachers said that antisocial behaviour was not accepted on the island and that there was a high degree of social control in the community. Shows that people may learn aggressive behaviour but may not exhibit it for different reasons.

Social and cultural factors play a role in what behaviours are acceptable, so even though children had no doubt learned aggressive behaviour, they did not show it.

Charlton et al (2002)

High ecological validity: study investigated a naturally occurring event as opposed to an artificial task

Results of study do not question SLT but rather the results of Bandura and Ross (1961). Results also support the idea that people must be motivated to imitate behaviour.

Evaluation of Charlton et al (2002)

Explains why some behaviours may be passed down in a family or within a culture

Also explains how children acquire behavior that isn’t a result of trial-and-error learning

However: ◦ behavior can be acquired but not demonstrated◦ Can observe your parent driving and get the basic

idea but not demonstrate it until many years later

Social Learning Theory: Evaluation

• Explains how some behavior is transmitted• Explains how children acquire behavior that

isn’t a result of trial-and-error learning• Behavior can be acquired but not

demonstrated– Can observe your parent driving and get the basic

idea but not demonstrate it until many years later• Why is some behavior imitated while other

behavior is not?

Social Learning Theory: Evaluation

SLT can provide explanation for some learning but certainly cannot acquire for all acquisition of knowledge

Media and violence: may contribute but many other factors involved in a complex process

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CXqZWW9yRQ

Conclusions