SOCIAL LEARNING

THEORY (SLT)
(Observational Learning)
 Aim
 Define what social (observational) learning is
and to interpret its underlying general principles.
To give you a brief overview of the studies
carried out by Bandura et al
 Objectives
You should be able to:
 Give a definition of social learning

 Understand the key terms and explain what they

mean
 Explain the underlying mechanisms of social
learning
 Apply the mechanisms to anecdotal examples
that you have produced
 Be aware of the work of Bandura
 The story so far
 Classical Conditioning – association
 Operant Conditioning – consequences
 Key studies:
 Pavlov - dog
 Skinner – rat/pigeon
 The 3rd Way
 Social Learning Theory (SLT) also known as
observational learning
 Key words:

Vicarious Reinforcement
Vicarious Punishment
Attention, Retention, Production, Motivation
Reciprocal Determinism
 So what is social learning?
An observers behaviour (e.g. child) changes after
viewing the behaviour of a model.
Affected by
+ve consequences -ve consequences
↓ ↓
Vicarious (observed) Vicarious
Reinforcement Punishment
 4 Separate Processes
 Attention
 Retention

 Production

 Motivation

See Diagram in handout

 Mechanisms of SLT
In simple terms:
 Desirable characteristics e.g. intelligence/beauty

 Observer will mimic models behaviour

More If there is a positive reward

Less If there is punishment
Acquiring/Performing behaviour when a
situation arises behaviour is displayed.
 Reciprocal Determinism
 Reciprocal means two way interaction
 Determinism is a belief that everything is caused
by something
 We are product of our environment. Our own
physical/cognitive capabilities together with our
influences of environment affects our behaviour
and feelings of our self and others (Level 2
progressor students may remember SFP?)
 Albert Bandura – Self System
 Set of cognitive processes by which a person
perceives, evaluates, and regulates personal
behaviour so that it is appropriate to the
environment and effective in achieving the
individual’s goals.
 Observational learning + inner person +
demands of situation = combine to determine
behaviours
 Social Learning Theory
 Allows for the cognitive process to mediate
between environment and behaviour
 Bandura believed that people cognitively
represent the behaviour of others and then
sometimes adopt this behaviour themselves
 His model shows a reciprocal influence of
behaviour, personal and cognitive factors, and
environment
Cognitive Mediating Factors
The Bobo Doll Study
 Observational (Vicarious)
Learning
 How new behaviours are acquired in absence of
reinforcement
 Observational learning-vicarious learning-
gained second hand by watching the experience
of another
 Modeling: person forms self in image of another
 Outcome Expectancy
 Expected consequence of the behaviour is most
significant influence on whether an observer will
reproduce an observed behaviour
 Individuals are more likely to imitate behaviour
that they believe leads to positive outcomes.
 Outcome expectancy is based on both
consequences of rewards and punishments and
on anticipated consequences