AQA Psychology for A Level Year 1 & AS - Student Book
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DISCUSS THE SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY EXPLANATIONS FOR BEHAVIOUR
One basic assumption of the social learning theory (SLT) is vicarious reinforcement. This is when an individual
observes the consequences of another person’s behaviour, and once the observer sees the person rewarded
they are more likely to imitate the behaviour e.g with role models. People are more likely to imitate the
behaviour of people they identify with for example if they share similar physical characteristics like freckles, or
the individual is of higher status modelling can occur. This is when a person observes and imitates the
behaviour of role models.
Another basic assumption of the SLT is the role of mediational processes. Mediational processes are cognitive
or mental processes that intervene with the learning process and determine whether new behaviour is
acquired. Bandura proposed 4 processes: attention- noticing the behaviour e.g of role models, retention-
remembering the behaviour e.g if it’s extraordinary behaviour, reproduction- being able to perform the
behaviour, and motivation- having a reason to perform the behaviour e.g if the behaviour is rewarded or not.-
and this can lead to a new behaviour being learnt. The SLT is the bridge between the behaviourist approach
and the cognitive approach.
One strength of the SLT is that it is less deterministic than other approaches. Social learning theorists believe
that behaviour can be learnt through observation and imitation of role models behaviour, but that also
cognitions in the form of mediational processes may have a role to play. This suggests how the SLT may offer
the most complete explanation for behaviour as it takes other factors into account.
A strength of the SLT’s explanations for behaviour is that it has practical applications. The SLT believes that
behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation of role models in particular. This is useful in movies or
games which are given ratings and age restrictions e.g under 15’s cannot watch or play them. This means that
any aggressive or sexual behaviour will not be observed and imitated by children, helping to make children
more psychologically healthy and ensuring a safe society for them to live in. This means that the SLT
explanations for behaviour must be valid as applications based on principles like modelling are beneficial to
society.
A limitation of the SLT is that there are other opposing theories that offer more credible explanations for certain
behaviours e.g aggression. Social learning theorists would argue that aggression is due to the observation and
imitation of a role model's aggressive behaviour. However the biological approach offers an alternative
explanation and suggests that an increase in the male sex hormone testosterone is what causes aggression,
and not modelling aggressive behaviour. This suggests how the SLT is an incomplete explanation for
behaviour and it ignores the influence of other factors on behaviour like our physiology. However, the SLT is
less deterministic than other approaches as social learning theorists believe that behaviour can be learnt
through the observation and imitation of role models behaviour, and that also cognitions in the form of
mediational processes may have a role to play. This suggests how the SLT may offer the most complete
explanation for behaviour as it takes other factors into account.
Another strength of the SLT is that the theories are testable. The SLT focuses on measuring observable
behaviour in controlled lab settings. For example Bandura found how children observe and imitate a role
model's aggressive behaviour within a controlled lab environment e.g they controlled extraneous variables like
noise or any possible distractions so they could conclude that it was modelling that caused the aggression
alone. This suggests how the SLT has high scientific credibility and status making the theories more valid.
However they are low in ecological validity as the children may not have acted as natural as they would have
in the real world.
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