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