Social Learning Theory

Social Learning Theory (SLT) was proposed by Albert Bandura (1925--2021) and represents a bridge between traditional behaviourism and the cognitive approach. While SLT agrees with behaviourists that behaviour is learned from the environment, it differs in two crucial ways: it emphasises observational learning (learning by watching others) and acknowledges the role of cognitive (mediational) processes in learning.

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Key Assumptions

1. People learn behaviour through observation and imitation of role models, not just through direct conditioning.
2. Mediational (cognitive) processes occur between observing a behaviour and deciding whether to imitate it.
3. Learning can occur without a change in behaviour — someone may learn a new behaviour but not perform it until the appropriate situation arises.
4. Behaviour, personal factors, and the environment all interact — this is known as reciprocal determinism.

Key Definition: Social Learning Theory — a theory that proposes people learn behaviour through observation, imitation, and modelling, with cognitive mediational processes playing a key role in determining whether observed behaviour is reproduced.

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Bandura's Bobo Doll Studies (1961, 1963)

Study 1: Bandura, Ross & Ross (1961)

• Aim: To investigate whether children would imitate aggressive behaviour observed in an adult model.
• Participants: 72 children aged 3--5 years from Stanford University nursery.
• Procedure: Children were divided into three groups:
  1. Aggressive model group — observed an adult behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll (hitting, kicking, using a mallet, saying "Pow!")
  2. Non-aggressive model group — observed an adult playing quietly with other toys
  3. Control group — no model observed
• Children were then mildly frustrated (shown attractive toys they could not play with) and placed in a room with a Bobo doll and other toys.

Results

Finding	Detail
Children in the aggressive model group showed significantly more aggressive behaviour	Both physical and verbal aggression were imitated
Boys showed more physical aggression than girls overall	However, girls showed as much verbal aggression as boys
Children were more likely to imitate same-sex models	Boys imitated male models more; girls imitated female models more

Study 2: Vicarious Reinforcement (1963)

Bandura extended his research to investigate the role of consequences observed by the child.

• Children watched a film of an adult behaving aggressively towards the Bobo doll.
• In one condition, the model was rewarded for aggression.
• In another condition, the model was punished.
• In a third condition, there were no consequences.

Condition	Imitation Level
Model rewarded	Highest level of imitation
No consequences	Moderate level of imitation
Model punished	Lowest level of imitation

Key Definition: Vicarious reinforcement — learning from the observed consequences of another person's behaviour. If a model is seen to be rewarded, the observer is more likely to imitate the behaviour; if the model is punished, the observer is less likely to imitate.

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Key Concepts in Social Learning Theory

Imitation, Identification, and Modelling

Concept	Definition
Imitation	Copying the behaviour of a model
Identification	The extent to which an individual relates to a model and feels they are similar to them
Modelling	The process by which a person (the model) demonstrates a behaviour that is then observed and potentially imitated
Role model	A person whose behaviour is observed and who the observer identifies with

Imitation is more likely when the observer identifies with the model. Identification is stronger when the model is:

• Similar to the observer (e.g. same sex, same age)
• Attractive or of high status
• Perceived as having authority or expertise

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Mediational Processes (ARRM)

Bandura proposed four mediational processes that determine whether an observed behaviour is imitated: