Social Learning Theory

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Social Learning Theory
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vKHi2dxSf9hw
Albert Bandura
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Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this lesson you should be able to
• Describe Social Learning Theory
• Apply Social Learning Theory and behaviourist
  explanations of learning to crime
• Describe and evaluate Research Studies to support
  the social Learnig explanation of crime

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Social Learning Theory

• Is the theory that we learn behaviour through
  observation.
• Criminal behaviour is seen as no different from
  any other type of behaviour- learnt through
  observation.
• Individuals learn from role models.

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Social Learning Theory

• Key Terms
• Observational Learning
• Vicarious (Indirect) Reinforcement
• Vicarious (Indirect) Punishment
• Model
• Imitation
• Mental Representation (Cognition)

• For your Notes

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Social Learning Stages

• Attention
• Retention
• Reproduction
• Motivation
• Imitation

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Model Characteristics

• Age
• Gender
• Status

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Exam Board Mark Scheme

• The role of direct reinforcement in aggression
• The role of indirect reinforcement in aggression
• The role of observational learning
• Modelling (e.g. stages, characteristics of the
  role model)
• Key studies into the social learning theory of
  aggression (e.g. Bandura et als Bobo doll
  study)

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Research Study

• Bandura et al. (1961)
• Video Clip

http//www.youtube.com/watch?vzerCK0lRjp8
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• Imitation is due to the consequence of the
  observed behaviour.
• If it is
• reinforced then children are more likely to
  imitate.
• punished then children are less likely to
  imitate.
• The observed reinforcement and punishment.
• Is vicarious.

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• Bandura variation study 1963
• Group 1 The aggression from the adult was
  REINFORCED by praise
• Group 2 The aggression from the adult was
  PUNISHED (told off)
• Group 3 The aggression from the adult had no
  response (control group)

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Later children were able to play with the bobo
doll

• Group 1 Children imitated many of the verbal and
  physical behaviours (aggressive reinforced model)
• Group 2 Children imitated the behaviour the
  least (aggressive punishment model)
• Group 3 Children imitated the model some of the
  time (control model- neither reinforced or
  punished)

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What does all that mean?

• Aggressive and violent behaviour can be learnt
  from observing the behaviour of models.
  Individuals learn from watching the behaviour of
  those around them, even when they themselves are
  not being directly reinforced.

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It has been estimated that a child entering
secondary school will have seen 8,000 murders and
100,000 other violent acts on TV.
Eron (1995)
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The how to guide of applying a theory to
explain criminality
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Step OneDefine the theory

• Bandura outlined Social learning theory. SLT
  proposes that we learn by

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• Step Two
• Outline the Rules of the Theory?
• Do you know the rules of social learning theory?
• Write them down
• ARRMI

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The rules

1. Behaviour has to be noticed (ATTENTION)
2. The behaviour has to be remembered (RETENTION)
3. the person has to be capable of reproducing the
   behaviour (REPRODUCTION)
4. There has to be a motivation to repeat the
   behaviour (MOTIVATION)
5. Leading to IMITATION

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• Modelling
• Refers to the behaviour being demonstrated as
  well as being reproduced

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Further more

• Children/people copy
• They make a choice about who they copy
• They are more likely to copy a higher status same
  sex role model
• They are most likely to copy if they see their
  model rewarded. (Vicarious reinforcement)

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Step ThreeApply social learning theory to
explaining crime

• It is time to link it all together.
• Be Specific.
• This is means taking these rules and suggesting
  that, as this is how most people learn most
  things, that this is how people learn to become
  criminals!
• Furthermore it can explain why people choose to
  become criminals.
• (i.e. if a person strongly identifies with a role
  model, they really want to be like them, if the
  role model is a criminal then

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D. O. A.

• Define the theory
• Outline the theory (fully)
• Apply the theory (be specific to AT LEAST ONE
  element of the theory and link to the question)

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• You will now have to describe the process that
  goes on when a person decides to copy a certain
  behaviour.
• You also need to describe the further processes
  involved in continuing to copy that behaviour to
  the point that the person themselves become a
  criminal

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Activity

• Read a story about a boy of 15 named Joe
• Use what you know of social learning theory to
  explain what happened to Joe that resulted in him
  committing a number of criminal acts.
• See your work sheet

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• Joes story
• Joe was a lonely boy. For the early part
  of his life he had gone to 6 schools as his
  father, a soldier travelled around with his
  different postings. Then Joes dad left him and
  his mum. His dad then had a baby with a girl only
  9 years older than Joe. Joe was very angry with
  his dad. Although he was also angry at his mum
  for letting it happen.
• A local gang had allowed Joe to join them.
  Taz the gang leader often asked him to do little
  tasks for him such as sending messages or buying
  sweets for him. Taz wouldnt let the others go
  too far bullying or teasing Joe .Joe wished he
  could be like Taz. Everyone liked him, he made
  them all laugh but was so tough no one would ever
  disagree with him. Taz had respect. No one
  respected Joe and from his point of view no one
  liked him either. When Taz was short of money he
  would shoplift what he needed. When Taz was angry
  he would cause damage to property in the park.
  When Taz was bored he would steal a car.
• It wasnt long before Joe would join Taz in
  the stolen cars. One day when Joe wanted to
  impress a girl he thought he would steal a car by
  himself.

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• Unpick the story and label the elements of social
  learning theory.
• noticing
• copying
• choosing a high status role model
• motivation

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• Take each rule and say how it applies to Joe
• 1 Children/people copy
• So Joe is quite likely to copy the
  behaviour he sees around him anyway
• 2. They make a choice about who they copy
• Joe has chosen to hang around with Taz he
  does this repeatedly so having chosen it it must
  be reinforcing in some way
• 3. They are more likely to copy a higher
  status same sex role model
• Joe looks up to Taz he is older people
  like him and respect him Taz is therefore an
  older high status role model (within the cultural
  norms that Joe is living in) he is also male so
  it is very likely that Joe would choose to copy
  him
• 4. They are most likely to copy if they see
  their model rewarded. (Vicarious reinforcement)
• Joe sees Taz get rewarded in many ways.
  He gets a buz when he shoplifts or steals cars.
  He gets praise from the gang he gets things for
  free and he seems to look happier after he has
  vented his anger through vandalism. Most of all
  he is liked and has respect. That is exactly the
  type of reward Joe would like

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• 5. Behaviour has to be noticed
• Joe notices everything Taz does because he
  admires him and spends time with him. Stories
  about events are often reputed to show off to
  others. He could hardly fail to notice
• 6. The behaviour has to be remembered
• The events are too exciting to forget
• 7. The person has to be capable of reproducing
  the behaviour
• Joe is able bodied and has been watching Taz
  drive for months
• 8. There has to be a motivation to repeat the
  behaviour
• Joe is angry at his dad, getting into
  trouble is perfect revenge. Joe wants respect
  being a bad boy gets respect. Joe wants
  excitement its exciting. Joe wants to impress a
  girl. Joe has plenty of motivation to continue to
  copy Taz s behaviour
• In the eyes of the law Joe is now a criminal
  if he internalises this label he will be a
  criminal in every sense

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• Although social learning theory is a theory in
  its own right it shares many concepts with
  traditional behaviourism/learning theory.
• SLT does not dispute the role of primary and
  secondary reinforcement in learning. Nor does it
  dispute the role of punishment.
• However SL theorists disagree with behaviourist
  over the issue of the person making a choice in
  their role model.
• They claim that most behaviour is learnt by
  copying but accept that a lot of behaviour is
  learnt through direct experiences of
  reinforcement and punishment. And they agree that
  once a person has chosen to copy a behaviour they
  are more likely to continue to use that behaviour
  if they find it reinforcing.
• So when you discuss the processes of social
  learning theory in criminal behaviour do not be
  afraid to use behaviourist concepts.

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Evaluate the SLT Explanation of CrimeCASTLES

• Strengths
• Weaknesses

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(No Transcript)
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Researcher/s Date  
Define the Theory      
Outline the Theory                                                    
Apply the Theory  
Evaluation   C onflicting Evidence     A pplication     S supporting evidence     T estible     L imitations     E vidence (based on)     S ocially sensitive