A2 Level-Social Learning Theory

Aggression

Social Learning Theory: Bandura and Walters 1963

• ·        Bandura and Walters believed aggression could not be explained using the learning theory. (Direct experience responsible).

• ·        Social learning theory suggest we learn by observing others.

• ·        We learn the specifics of aggressive behaviour: (form it takes, how often it is enacted, the situations that produce it and the targets).

• ·        The role of biological factors is not completely ignored in this theory

• ·        Person's biological make-up creates a potential for aggression, and it is the actual expression of aggression that is learned.

• ·        Bandura's study The BOBO dolls illustrates this theory.

THE BOBO DOLL STUDIES- Albert Bandura 1961.

Research support for the STL comes from series of studies. Bandura et al 1961. Children observing aggressive and non-aggressive adult models and then tested for imitative learning in absence of models.

• ·        Male and female children. 3-5. Half exposed to adult models interacting aggressively to life-sized bobo doll. Half non-aggressive.

• ·        Model displayed distinctive physically aggressive acts towards the dolls. (striking head, kicking). Verbal aggression e.g. POW

• ·        After, children were frustrated by being shown attractive toys which they were not allowed to play with. The taken to room with bobo dolls.

• ·        Children in the aggression one reproduced physical verbal behaviour like the model. Children in non-aggressive showed no aggression towards doll.

• ·        1/3 children in aggressive condition repeated models behaviour. None of children in non-aggressive made such remarks. Boys reproduced more imitative physical than girls, no difference in imitation of verbal aggression.

Conclusion: Children's do acquire aggressive responses as result of watching others. Doesn't tell why a child would be motivated to perform same behaviour in absence of model. Later study Barbara and Walters 1963, children who saw the model being rewarded for aggressive acts showed high levels of aggression in their play. Those who show model punished showed low level. Those in no reward or punishment were in between 2 levels of aggression. Bandura called this type vicarious learning- they were learning about likely consequences of actions, adjusting their behaviour accordingly.

Social Learning Theory

• ·        Observation- Children primarily learn their aggressive responses through observation. Watching role models behaviours and imitating. Against Skinner's operant conditioning theory (reinforcement). Bandura -> observing role models. They also watch and learn the consequences of aggression by watching reinforcement/punishments. This is vicarious reinforcement.  Children see aggressive behaviour at home/school/TV. Observing the consequences child learns what is appropriate (effective) conduct . The learn the behaviours and whether/when they are worth repeating.

• ·        Mental representation- Bandura: In order for social learning to take place, child must for mental representation of events in their social environments. Must represent possible rewards and punishments for their aggressive behaviour in terms of expectancies of future outcomes. When opportunity comes child will display learned behaviour AS LONG AS expectation of reward is greater than expectation of punishment.

• ·        Production of behaviour- 1) Maintenance through direct experience- If child rewarded (praise from others) likely to repeat same action in similar future situations. Child with history successfully bulling -> attach value to aggression. 2) Self-efficacy expectancies - Children develop confidence in the ability to carry out necessary aggressive actions. Children who are bad at this behaviour, have less confidence (low self efficacy) to use aggression. Turn to other means.

Evaluation

• ·        AO2:Research support.  The role of punishment- In Bandura and Walter's study, did children prevent learning or prevent performance because of the punishment? To test Bandura 1965 repeated study but this time children were rewarded for performing model's aggressive behaviour. Result: all groups performed imitative acts. Conclusion: learning does take place regardless of reinforcements but production of behaviour is related to selective reinforcements. Applicability to adults- Involves children, does SLT explain adult behaviour? Phillips 1986 found daily homicide rates in US always increased following major boxing match. Views were imitating behaviour. SLT evident in adults as well.

• ·        AO2: STRENGTHS- Role of vicarious learning- SLT can explain aggressive behaviour in the absence of direct reinforcement. (Unlike operant conditioning). Although Bandura et al's (1963) participants behaved more aggressively after observing, at no point were the children directly rewarded for any action. Consequently, the concept of vicarious learning is necessary to explain these findings. Individual differences in aggressive behaviour- SLT can explain differences in aggressive and non-aggressive behaviour both between and within individuals.  Wolfgang and Ferracuti's 'culture of violence' theory proposes that in large societies, some subcultures develop norms that sanction violence to a greater degree than the dominant culture. Some cultures may model non-aggressive behaviour, producing people that show low levels of aggression. (cultural differences IDA). Differences within individuals can be related to selective reinforcement and context-dependant learning. People respond differently because they observe that aggression is rewarded in some situations and not others. i.e. they learn behaviours that are appropriate to particular contexts.

• ·        AO2: CULTURAL DIFFERENCES- SLT can be used to explain cultural differences in aggression. Among the !Kung San of the Kalahari Desert, aggression is rare. This is because of the child rearing practises: when 2 children argue/fight parents neither reward or punish, but physically separate then and try it distract them to other things. (no model of aggression). Parents don't use physical punishment and aggressive postures are avoided by society as a whole. (Absence of direct reinforcement). Little motivation for !Kung Sun children to acquire aggressive behaviours.

• ·        AO2 VALIDITY - Bandura's study, demand characteristics, possible children were aware of what was expected of them. Nobel reports that one child arriving at the laboratory experiment said: "Look Mummy there's the doll we have to hit".  Also, studies focus on aggression towards a doll rather than a real person (who hits back). However Bandura responded to this criticism and produced a film of young woman beating up a live clown. When children went to other room there was a live clown and they punched, kicked and hit him with hammers.

IDA

• ·        AO3 ETHICAL ISSUES IN SLT RESEARCH- Ethical issues make it difficult to test SLT experimentally. Exposing children to aggressive behaviour with the knowledge that they may reproduce it in their own behaviour raises ethical issues concerning the need to protect physical and psychological harm. Bobo doll study would no long be allowed. Difficult to test the experimental hypotheses about the social learning of aggressive behaviour in children and consequently difficult to establish the scientific credibility of the theory.