Social learning theory
Social learning theory was created as an alternative to behaviorism. It supports the
behaviorist principles of classical and operant conditioning. However it focuses on
observational learning and the cognitive factors involved.
Individuals learn from observing others. A model will demonstrate a specific behaviour. A
live model may be a teacher, friend, or parent. A symbolic model could be a TV character.
The individual may then decide to imitate this behaviour. This explains how behavioural
patterns are learned very quickly rather than through the slow process of conditioning.
Individuals do not need to learn through direct re-enforcement. They can observe the
behaviour and view the likely consequences of this behaviour. They will then adjust their
own behaviour to fit this. If the behaviour is rewarded, they are more likely to repeat the
behaviour. If the behaviour is punished, they are less likely to repeat the behaviour and may
avoid it. This shows that individuals may learn through vicarious re-enforcement.
However, individuals must identify with the model before imitating them. They must believe
that they would receive a similar reaction to the displayed behaviour. Individuals are more
likely to relate to a model of the same age and gender.
Sometimes the social learning theory is described as a bridge between the behaviorist and
cognitive approach. This is because it recognizes the cognitive factors in learning. Individuals
will not immediately imitate behaviour. Bandura identified 4 key mediational processes
involved in learning: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Individuals must
pay attention to the behaviour being demonstrated. A person may be surrounded by many
different types of behaviour. Therefore, the behaviour must grab the individual’s attention
so that they can make a mental representation of it. The person must ‘retain’ this
information. Most behaviour is not imitated immediately. Therefore, information about the
behaviour must be transferred from the short-term memory to the long-term memory so
that it can be repeated at a later point. One must also consider the individuals ability to
‘reproduce’ the behaviour. The individual must be physically and emotionally competent
enough to perform the behaviour. For instance, a disabled woman may watch the ski jump
at the Olympics on TV. However, she does not have the physical ability to imitate this
behaviour. An individual is more likely to imitate the behaviour id they are ‘motivated’ to do
so. If the behaviour produces a particular reward as a consequence, then it is more likely
that it will be imitated.
Bandura created the social learning theory after conducting his Bobo doll study. It was
conducted on 36 American children between the ages of 3 and 6. Participants were split into
3 groups of 12 children. The groups were ‘matched’ so that there would be equal levels of
pre-existing aggression. Group 1 was shown a model who was acting very aggressively to
the Bobo doll. They hit the Bobo doll with a hammer. Group 2 was shown a model who was
not acting aggressively towards the model. The third group was a control group who were
not shown a model. Group 1 had far greater levels of aggression than the other groups. In
fact, they were recorded imitating the exact aggressive acts that the model performed. This
showed Bandura that individuals could imitate behaviour that hey observed in a social
setting. Interestingly, there were gender differences between the participants. Boys were
Social learning theory was created as an alternative to behaviorism. It supports the
behaviorist principles of classical and operant conditioning. However it focuses on
observational learning and the cognitive factors involved.
Individuals learn from observing others. A model will demonstrate a specific behaviour. A
live model may be a teacher, friend, or parent. A symbolic model could be a TV character.
The individual may then decide to imitate this behaviour. This explains how behavioural
patterns are learned very quickly rather than through the slow process of conditioning.
Individuals do not need to learn through direct re-enforcement. They can observe the
behaviour and view the likely consequences of this behaviour. They will then adjust their
own behaviour to fit this. If the behaviour is rewarded, they are more likely to repeat the
behaviour. If the behaviour is punished, they are less likely to repeat the behaviour and may
avoid it. This shows that individuals may learn through vicarious re-enforcement.
However, individuals must identify with the model before imitating them. They must believe
that they would receive a similar reaction to the displayed behaviour. Individuals are more
likely to relate to a model of the same age and gender.
Sometimes the social learning theory is described as a bridge between the behaviorist and
cognitive approach. This is because it recognizes the cognitive factors in learning. Individuals
will not immediately imitate behaviour. Bandura identified 4 key mediational processes
involved in learning: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Individuals must
pay attention to the behaviour being demonstrated. A person may be surrounded by many
different types of behaviour. Therefore, the behaviour must grab the individual’s attention
so that they can make a mental representation of it. The person must ‘retain’ this
information. Most behaviour is not imitated immediately. Therefore, information about the
behaviour must be transferred from the short-term memory to the long-term memory so
that it can be repeated at a later point. One must also consider the individuals ability to
‘reproduce’ the behaviour. The individual must be physically and emotionally competent
enough to perform the behaviour. For instance, a disabled woman may watch the ski jump
at the Olympics on TV. However, she does not have the physical ability to imitate this
behaviour. An individual is more likely to imitate the behaviour id they are ‘motivated’ to do
so. If the behaviour produces a particular reward as a consequence, then it is more likely
that it will be imitated.
Bandura created the social learning theory after conducting his Bobo doll study. It was
conducted on 36 American children between the ages of 3 and 6. Participants were split into
3 groups of 12 children. The groups were ‘matched’ so that there would be equal levels of
pre-existing aggression. Group 1 was shown a model who was acting very aggressively to
the Bobo doll. They hit the Bobo doll with a hammer. Group 2 was shown a model who was
not acting aggressively towards the model. The third group was a control group who were
not shown a model. Group 1 had far greater levels of aggression than the other groups. In
fact, they were recorded imitating the exact aggressive acts that the model performed. This
showed Bandura that individuals could imitate behaviour that hey observed in a social
setting. Interestingly, there were gender differences between the participants. Boys were
