16.2.4

Social Learning Theory (SLT) 1

Test yourself on Social Learning Theory (SLT) 1

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Social Learning Theory

Social learning theory is a social psychological theory of aggression. It was developed by Albert Bandura and is a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement; combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.

Aggression

Aggression

  • According to Bandura (1973), aggressive behaviour is learned in social contexts.
  • Social learning theory does not deny that biological factors play a role in how we acquire aggressive behaviours.
  • However it asserts that everything that really matters about aggression is learned.
Direct and indirect learning

Direct and indirect learning

  • Bandura believes that aggression can be learned directly, through mechanisms of operant conditioning involving positive and negative reinforcement and punishment.
  • He also realised that aggressive behaviour often cannot be explained by direct forms of learning, especially in humans.
  • He therefore argued that an indirect mechanism (observational learning) accounts for social learning of most aggressive behaviours.
Observational learning

Observational learning

  • Children (and adults to an extent) acquire specific and aggressive behaviours through observing aggressive models (such as siblings, parents, peers, and characters from the media.)
  • This is how the child works out how an aggressive behaviour is performed, but it does not mean that they will behave aggressively themselves.
Vicarious reinforcement

Vicarious reinforcement

  • As well as observing the behaviour of models, children also observe the consequences of their own behaviour.
  • If aggressive behaviour is rewarded (or at least not punished), the child learns that aggression can be effective in getting what they want.
  • This is known as vicarious reinforcement and it makes it more likely that the observing child will imitate the model’s aggressive behaviour.
Vicarious punishment

Vicarious punishment

  • A parallel form of indirect learning is vicarious punishment.
  • If a model's use of aggression to achieve a goal is punished, an observing child is less likely to imitate that specific behaviour.

Observational Learning

Bandura states that four cognitive conditions are needed for observational learning to take place.

Attention

Attention

  • A basic cognitive requirement is that the observer must pay attention to the models aggressive actions.
Retention

Retention

  • The observer also needs to be able to remember the model's aggressive actions.
  • This helps to form a symbolic mental representation of how the behaviour is performed.
Reproduction

Reproduction

  • The individual must be able to transform the mental representation of the aggressive behaviour into actual physical action.
  • This involves the individual mentally appraising his or her ability to do this.
Motivation

Motivation

  • The individual needs a reason to imitate the behaviour, which will depend on their expectations that behaving aggressively in a specific way in a specific situation will be rewarding.
Jump to other topics
1

Social Influence

2

Memory

3

Attachment

4

(2026 Exams) Psychopathology

5

(2027 Exams) Clinical Psychology & Mental Health

6

Approaches in Psychology

7

Biopsychology

8

Research Methods

8.1

Research Methods

8.2

Scientific Processes

8.3

Data Handling & Analysis

8.4

Inferential Testing

9

Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

10

Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10.1

Relationships: Sexual Relationships (A2 only)

10.2

Relationships: Romantic Relationships (A2 only)

10.3

(2026 Exams) Relationships: Virtual (A2 only)

10.4

(2027 Exams) Relationships: Online (A2 only)

11

Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

12

Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

13

Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

14

Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

15

Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

16

Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

17

Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

18

Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

Practice questions on Social Learning Theory (SLT) 1

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
Answer all questions on Social Learning Theory (SLT) 1

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium