Social Learning Theory 2024 PDF

PS338 Social Learning/Cognitive Theory Dr Jenny Groarke University ofGalway.ie Cognitive approaches Behaviourism Humanistic theories Social learning theory Focus is on how people actively make sense of their world: interpretin...

PS338 Social Learning/Cognitive Theory Dr Jenny Groarke University ofGalway.ie Cognitive approaches Behaviourism Humanistic theories Social learning theory Focus is on how people actively make sense of their world: interpreting, explaining, coping, representing themselves, perceiving and reasoning with emotions Social Learning Theory Suspicion that behaviorism did not tell the whole story Kohler’s chimpanzees Insight from understanding the situation Social Learning Theory: Shortcomings of Behaviorism o Ignores thinking, motivation, and emotion o Primarily based on animal research o Ignores the social dimension of learning o Organisms are treated as essentially passive. Three social learning theories have expanded behaviorism: Dollard and Miller’s theory Rotter’s theory: locus of control Bandura’s theory Social Learning Theory: Self-Efficacy Affects persistence Influenced by the self-concept Goal of psychotherapy—improve self- efficacy To change behaviour – change efficacy expectations Influences motivation and performance Social Learning Theory: Observational Learning Humans learn nearly everything by observation. Bobo doll studies: aggressive behavior increases with modeling, especially when model is reinforced Positive behaviors can also be learned from observation. Social Learning Theory WHAT IS IT? HOW WE LEARN FROM OTHERS Albert (‘Al’) Bandura (1925-2021) Background Born in Alberta, Canada Six children in family – baby, only boy Parents Eastern European (Poland and Ukraine) Background Father and mother, no formal education, but father put emphasis on importance of education – taught himself Polish, Russian, German Bandura early education – only schoolhouse in the town (elementary and high school); shortage of teachers; much self-directed learning  Background Summer work in the Yukon, filling potholes Met many different people, diverse backgrounds (people on the run, marital and financial difficulties) ‘Developed an appreciation for the psychopaths of everyday life’  Interest in Psychology? Uni British Columbia – intended to study biological science as undergraduate Psychology – took subject by chance (hitched ride to uni with engineering friends who started very early. Psych class also started around same time) Graduated in 1949 (three years – considered early) Background MA in University of Iowa Golf as a hobby with friends Met Virginia Varns on golf range; married in 1952, two daughters – role of chance Started teaching in Stanford, 1953 until end of career ‘As I reflect on my journey to this octogenarian milepost, I am reminded of the saying that it is not the miles traveled but the amount of tread remaining that is important. When I last checked, I still have too much tread left to gear down or to conclude this engaging Odyssey.’ Problems with other theories of personality Psychoanalytic - focus on unconscious processes; fails to recognise conscious processes Behavioral – too simplistic (environment causes the person) Trait – too simplistic (person causes behaviour)  Bandura and behaviourism Not a behaviourist in pure sense Theories go beyond basic conditioning, learning Role of cognition/insight and motivation Human beings, complex systems – different to rats, pigeons and dogs  Difference between Bandura and traditional behaviourists? B.F. Skinner – ‘Free will is but an illusion’, de-emphasis on thinking Bandura - more emphasis on internal processes and Person is reactive and involved; Person doesn’t just have things happen to him/her  Miller and Dollard (1941) Social Learning Theory Imitation and observation, and learning But consequence-driven No cognitive component Social Learning Theory Personality = habits/ Habit hierarchy Habits – normally occur in social context Habits – formed via repeated stimulus-response exposure Rewards, punishment and learning ‘rearrange’ the habit hierarchy Social Learning Theory Bandura and the behaviourists Theory was originally ‘Social Learning Theory’ Bandura changed to ‘Social Cognitive Theory’ in 80s – to distance theory from behaviourists Bandura had been formulating his own version of SLT theory since 1960s  Social Cognitive view of personality Personality as a system Many complex parts, each acting together and interacting Pervin (2010) compares this complex system to how brain works Bandura: Key ideas Reciprocal determinism Modelling/imitation Self-efficacy Reciprocal Determinism How people shape their environments The environment and a person’s behaviour interact Each causes/influences the other A triad of interacting influences Environment impacts on us (conditioning/learning), but not so simplistic The self-system Multiple influences What makes people who they are ‘Personality’ Reciprocal Determinism Behavioural factors: A person’s current/ongoing behaviour Personal factors: Person’s beliefs, thoughts, feelings Environmental factors: Person’s external environment Bandura (1997)  Person as agent of change Critical point – person has some degree of control or influence Creators of their own history (Bandura, 1982) Move away from traditional learning approach The role of chance Makes behaviour unpredictable Acknowledged chance as key factor in our lives Cannot be ignored/discounted ‘Luck’? QUIZ time https://b.socrative.com/login/student/ ROOM: GROARKE9410 PS338 Theories of Personality 2021/22 Dr Jenny Groarke Social Learning Theory Part 2 Social Learning ‘Of the many cues that influence behaviour, at any point in time, none is more common than the actions of others.’ (Bandura, 1986, p. 206) ‘Monkey see, monkey do?’ Modelling and Imitation Modelling – a core idea We learn by imitation and observation; others serve as models, and these shape our behaviours Key addition to SLT model (original) What makes Modelling effective? Similarities between self and model (gender, age, race, etc.) – identification Figures of authority/respect People we admire Example – advertisements, use of role models in health interventions  Learning via models: Bobo and aggression Famous experiment - Bandura (1961) Children observe aggression (or lack thereof) ‘Monkey see, monkey do’?  Bobo Doll Experiment: Original footage Narrated by Bandura: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmBqwWlJg8U Bandura on Social Learning in modern world http://edutube.hccs.edu/media/Social+Learning+Theory/0_ery5q mr9 Learning changes according to societal changes, social media, other advancements.  Self-Efficacy (Bandura’s key contribution?) Bandura defined it as our belief in our ability to succeed in specific situations Personal competence Different from self-esteem and locus of control (these are more general, self-efficacy more specific) Self-Efficacy ‘If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning’ - Mahatma Gandhi Self-Efficacy: Influences Past performance Vicarious experiences Verbal persuasion Physiological cues Influences: Past Performance (performance accomplishments) When I’ve done/tried something before, have I failed or succeeded? As a result, will I be more wary, or more eager to repeat the behaviour?  Influences: Vicarious Experiences Observing others – observational learning I watch others’ behaviour, and this, in turn, influences my own  Influences: Verbal Experiences Persuasion and praise – have I been verbally encouraged? Rebuke – have I been verbally discouraged? Influences: Physiological cues Stress, tension – do I take my cues on how to behave from these physical sensations? Focusing on anxiety sensations can strongly influence SE (negatively)  Self-Efficacy: Further influences Difficulty of task/situation Amount of effort expended Amount of help received from others Situational factors – performance circumstances Temporal pattern of successes and failures Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory Other Social Learning theorists Julian Rotter (1916-2014), Brooklyn NYC Concept of expectancy – important contribution If I have positive/negative expectancies about what’s going to happen – this influences what actually happens Other components of Rotter’s theory Behaviour potential – likelihood of person engaging in a behaviour in a particular situation Reinforcement value – things we want to happen have a high reinforcement value, and vice versa Locus of control – internal or external locus of control; who is more in control – me, or external forces? Self-efficacy – a lifespan view Bandura suggested SE changes throughout lifespan Early infancy and childhood – mainly observation, trial and error Later on – more awareness of self role, social and other environmental factors (e.g., peers, siblings) Bandura (SCT) evaluation SCT is very broad – many aspects, sometimes unclear how it all ‘comes together’ Lack of focus on emotion (affect) Lack of focus on biological factors – in contrast with Eysenck, for example Bandura (SCT) evaluation Has attempted to react to simplistic nature of other theories One of the more balanced approaches (both idiographic and nomothetic) Has hugely influenced behaviour therapies for psychological problems  Applications of Social Learning/Social Cognitive Theory Therapies/interventions relating to behaviour change – CBT; Rotter’s therapy focused on goals Understanding social problems such as criminality and aggression Used for commercial purposes (e.g., advertising) Therapies/interventions relating to behaviour change Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Bandura is not the ‘father’ of CBT, but his theory has been a major influence CBT formulated and promoted by Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck Understanding social problems such as criminality and aggression Bandura’s theory used to understand why people commit crime (modelling of bad behaviour) According to Bandura, aggression can begin in childhood via modelling – believed that if identified and stopped in childhood, one could prevent future criminality