Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies.

Introduction

• State what you are doing in the essay 
• The following essay will aim to give a detailed account of the Social Learning Theory (SLT), whilst also making reference to two relevant studies 
  
  
• Introduce by defining "norms" 
• A norm is a set of rules based on socially and culturally shared beliefs of how an individual ought to behave.
• Thus, norms regulate behaviour within a group – and if people deviate or break from these norms, they may be punished, marginalized or also seen as creative and affecting change in society. 
• Being "social animals," the need to belong plays a strong role in the desire to confirm to group norms. 
  
  
• Define the Social Learning Theory 
• One way in which society or culture passes on its norms to individuals within the group is through social learning theory (SLT), proposed and developed by Albert Bandura.
• SLT assumes that 'humans learn behaviour through the environment, but most specifically through observational learning." 
  
  
• Define observational learning 
• Observational learning is how people learn by watching and "observing" models and imitate their behaviour, thus noticing the consequences it has on them and their environments. 
• E.g. Children observe their parents' behaviour and imitate it
• By doing so, we learn without the need to perform the observed behaviours ourselves.
• Thus, it also helps us avoid harmful situations without direct exposure to them 
  
  
• Outline the components of the Social Learning Theory
  
• Modelling occurs
• Via gatekeepers / authoritative figures
• Parents 
• Peers
• Media
• Teachers
• Sometimes the model has a desired effect on the learner (e.g. when a teacher instructs children how to solve a problem).
• But often, models serve as "indirect models," in that they are not intending or trying to influence behaviour
• Precarious reinforcement
  
  
• State that we learn in three different ways
  
• Classical Conditioning
• Revolves around learning via association 
• Operant Conditioning
  
• Revolves around learning via Rewards and Punishment:
• Get a person to behave in a way by association or by rewarding them. 
• Observational Learning
  
• Revolves around learning via observation
  
  
• State that “the following essay will focus on the social learning theory of observational learning.”

Body

• Outline the components of SLT
  
• According to Bandura, SLT is composed of four conditions (ARRM) required for a person to successfully model the behaviour of someone else.
• Attention
• The person must first pay attention to the significant features of the model"s behaviour, influenced by the model"s distinctiveness, attractiveness, competence or power.
• Retention
  
• The observer must be able to store information about the model"s behaviour in memory, in order to be able to retrieve the information later (delayed, or "deferred imitation") or "immediate imitation" and act on, which is vital to SLT.
• Reproduction (Motor)
• The observer has to be able to physically and cognitively reproduce the desired behaviour.
• Imitation and practice leads to improvement of the learnt behaviour. 
• Motivation
  
• In order for observational learning to be successful, learns must be able to demonstrate the learnt behaviour that has been modelled.
• The presence of reinforcement (reward) or punishment is an important motivational factor and is an indirect form of learning, known as vicarious reinforcement.
  
  
• Introduce applications of SLT 
• SLT has been used to explain many things, but in particular, the role of violence in the media on aggression in children. 
  
  

• Introduce study --> link to question: 
  
• One of the most significant research experiments on learning violence via models through observational learning in the media or the environment is by Bandura et al. (1963) 
  
  
• Aims: To test the observation and modelling of aggressive behaviour. 
• Aim A: To see if children would imitate aggression modelled by an adult.
• Aim B: To investigate if children were more likely to imitate the "same-sex" models. 
  
  
• Method: 
• 72 Children (36 boys, 36 girls) aged between 3-6 yrs. divided into 3 groups.
• The groups were matched with regard to aggression based on an evaluation by their parents and teachers. 
• 1st group (24) – Exposed to adult models who showed aggression by bashing inflatable "Bobo Dolls" 
• 2nd group (24) – Observed a non-aggressive adult who assembled toys for 10 mins 
• 3rd group (24) – control (no model)
• In some groups, some children watched same-sex models and the rest watched opposite-sex models.
• After watching the models, the children were placed in a room with a Bobo Doll. 
  
  
• Findings: 
• Aim A – Bandura found that children who had observed the aggressive models were significantly more aggressive, both verbally and physically. 
• According to Bandura, SLT was demonstrated in the study, as children showed signs of observational learning through aggression. 
• Whilst, the children in the non-aggressive group showed almost no aggression.
  
• 88% of children imitated the aggressive behaviour.
• Aim B – In regards to the second aim, Bandura observed that girls were more likely to imitate verbal aggression, whereas boys were more likely to imitate physical behaviour. 
• When boys observed women bashing the Bobo Doll, they often made comments such as “Ladies shouldn"t do that!” 
• Therefore, children were more likely to imitate the same sex model. 
  
  
• Conclusion / Connection of study to question: 
• Bandura"s study exemplified and supported features of SLT:
• Observational (vicarious) learning – the children learned specific aggressive behaviours through the observation of adult models. 
  
  

• Introduce study --> link to question: 
• Another study supporting SLT is by Gergely et al. (2002). 
  
  
• Aim:
• To investigate if younger children can learn/acquire behaviour through observational learning, as young as 14-month old infants

• Method: 
• Experiment used 14-month old infants 
• 2 conditions: 
• Hands-Free Condition: 
  
• Where the infants observed an adult place her hands on a table 
• Following this, she used a strange action to light up/illuminate a light box by bending over and pressing the box with her forehead 
• Hands-Occupied Condition: 
  
• Where the infants observed the adult perform the same action to illuminate the box 
• However, the model was using her hands to hold a blanket around her shoulders 
  
  
• Findings: 
  
• Hands-Free Condition – After a week, infants were given an opportunity to play with the box. 69% used their head to illuminate the light.
• Hands-Occupied Condition – One week later, infants were given the box to play with, but only 21% illuminated the light using their head and the rest used their hands to press the light. 
  
  
• Conclusion / Connection of study to question: 
• Gergely"s findings have demonstrated that very young infants have the ability to observe a model"s behaviour and infer his or her intentions and constraints on his or her behaviour.
• The infants then use such information to decide precisely what parts of the model"s behaviour are possible or desirable to imitate. 
• Therefore demonstrated that very young children up to 12-months old are capable of observing thus imitating behaviour, supporting SLT. 
  
  

Conclusion 

• SLT helps explain why behaviour may be passed down in a family, within a culture, or even within the whole human race. 
  
• It also explains why children acquire some behaviour without trial-and-error. 
  
• However, even though behaviour may be acquired, it is not always demonstrated, which is not stated explicitly in the SLT. 
  
• Likewise, the SLT of observation, proposed by Bandura is demonstrated in the two studies outlined previously by Bandura (1965) Gergely (2002)