Social learning theory – imitation, identification, modelling, vicarious
reinforcement, role of mediational processes and bandura’s research
Social learning theory – describe,
Suggests behaviour is learnt through observation of a role model and then imitating this
behaviour through mediational processes.
Imitation = when an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it.
Imitation is more likely to happen if Identification = when the observer associates
themselves with a role model because the role model has similar characteristics, is attractive
or has high status.
Modelling = when an observer copies the behaviour or when the role model demonstrates
the behaviour.
Imitation depends on Vicarious reinforcement = reinforcement that occurs through
observing someone else being reinforced, they observe the behaviour and its consequences.
4 mediational processes identified by Bandura:
1 attention: noticing the behaviour
2 retention: remembering the behaviour
3 reproduction: can we physically perform the behaviour
4 motivation: do we want to perform the behaviour
Bandura’s doll experiment
36 boys and 36 girls between 3-6 years old split into 3 conditions: an aggressive model
shown to 24 children, non-aggressive model shown to another 24 children and no model
was shown to another 24 children. Participants observed the model’s behaviour in one
room then moved to another room the ‘aggression arousal’ stage. They were then allowed
to play with toys and were observed on the extent they intimidated the behaviour they
were shown.
Results: they found the children who had observed aggressive behaviour acted more
aggressively when observed and that boys acted more aggressively than girls. There was
also a greater level of imitation of behaviour if the role model was the same gender as the
child (identification).
Conclusion: this study supports the SLT as the children clearly demonstrated the concepts of
modelling, imitation, and the mediational processes.
Strength: evidence from Bandura. But a limitation: underestimates the influence of
biological factors on social learning. Consistent finding was boys more aggressive, doesn’t
reinforcement, role of mediational processes and bandura’s research
Social learning theory – describe,
Suggests behaviour is learnt through observation of a role model and then imitating this
behaviour through mediational processes.
Imitation = when an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it.
Imitation is more likely to happen if Identification = when the observer associates
themselves with a role model because the role model has similar characteristics, is attractive
or has high status.
Modelling = when an observer copies the behaviour or when the role model demonstrates
the behaviour.
Imitation depends on Vicarious reinforcement = reinforcement that occurs through
observing someone else being reinforced, they observe the behaviour and its consequences.
4 mediational processes identified by Bandura:
1 attention: noticing the behaviour
2 retention: remembering the behaviour
3 reproduction: can we physically perform the behaviour
4 motivation: do we want to perform the behaviour
Bandura’s doll experiment
36 boys and 36 girls between 3-6 years old split into 3 conditions: an aggressive model
shown to 24 children, non-aggressive model shown to another 24 children and no model
was shown to another 24 children. Participants observed the model’s behaviour in one
room then moved to another room the ‘aggression arousal’ stage. They were then allowed
to play with toys and were observed on the extent they intimidated the behaviour they
were shown.
Results: they found the children who had observed aggressive behaviour acted more
aggressively when observed and that boys acted more aggressively than girls. There was
also a greater level of imitation of behaviour if the role model was the same gender as the
child (identification).
Conclusion: this study supports the SLT as the children clearly demonstrated the concepts of
modelling, imitation, and the mediational processes.
Strength: evidence from Bandura. But a limitation: underestimates the influence of
biological factors on social learning. Consistent finding was boys more aggressive, doesn’t
