The Social Learning Theory of Aggression

•Who do you look up to? Who is your role model? Have you ever observed a behaviour that you have then copied?

Social Learning Theory•According the Bandura, there are 4

processes involved with Social Learning

•Attention•Retention •Reproduction•Motivation

•Mnemonic?

Example• Jane dyes her hair pink because her

favourite celebrity has done so. ▫ First Jane paid attention to what the

celebrity had done▫Jane then retained this information▫Jane was capable of reproducing the

behaviour of dying her hair▫Jane was motivated to dye her hair pink

and did so

Factors involved in SLT•The more similar the role model is to the

observer, the more likely that the behaviour will be imitated▫Same gender▫Same age

•Also, if the role model is seen in a positive light▫High status▫Likeable

Behaviourist Assumption Social Learning Theory•Social learning is learning through

observation, imitation and modelling or another person or role model.

•We Observe a role model’s behaviour and its consequence

•We store this as a MENTAL REPRESENTATION (memory)

•We may then repeat this behaviour in the future

Social Learning Theory of aggression (p18) OMM•Observation •We Observe a role model’s behaviour and

its consequence if we see the model being rewarded, we are being indirectly reinforced – Bandura calls this VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT

•We store this as a MENTAL REPRESENTATION including whether the behaviour is rewarded or punished – this is our EXPECTANCY of FUTURE OUTCOMES

Social Learning Theory of aggression (p18) OMM•We may then repeat this behaviour in the

future if the situation arises and we are directly reinforced.

•This is called MAINTENANCE through DIRECT EXPERIENCE.

•Remember we can learn directly or through what happens to someone else.

• If we learn from what happens to someone else, this is VICARIOUS LEARNING

Vicarious Learning•Come up with an example for each of

the following:

•Vicarious reinforcement•Vicarious punishment•Vicarious extinction

Social Learning Theory

•With the people around you, discuss how this theory could be applied to aggression

•Using the 4 stages, how could a little girl imitate her older sister’s aggressive behaviour?

•What other factors may have influenced her?

Evidence for social learning theory•bobo doll experiment – YouTube•Summarise Bandura’s 1961 experiment•What is the KEY finding?•Summarise Bandura’s 1963 experiment•bobo doll experiment – YouTube•What is the major new thing we learn from

this second study?

Other evidence•Speed date!