1. Sociocultural Level of Analysis
4.2 Social and cultural norms
SLT

2. Social Learning Theory
Albert Bandura’s theory is that through observational learning, individuals learn a society or culture’s norms.
By watching “models” and imitating their behaviour
Direct
indirect

3. Social learning theory
Involves the four following factors:
Attention
Retention
Motor reproduction
Motivation

4. Motivation
Motivation is more complex and there are several factors that may influence:
Consistency
Identification with the model
Rewards/punishment (vicarious reinforcement)
Liking the model

5. SLT – research
SLT has been used to explain many things and in particular the role of violence and aggression
Bandura Ross & Ross – “Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models” see handout and on p

6. Application of SLT in real life
Can you think of any?

7. Application of SLT in real life
Support for SLT is found by Eron 1986 who carried out a longitudinal study over 15 years – positive correlation number of hours of violence watched on TV and level of aggression
Study in Canada by Kimball & Zabrack 1986, also showed same results after TV was introduced
But, could be another factor involved? (remember weakness with correlational studies)

8. Be a critical thinker The other side of the argument on p. 114

9. Evaluation of social learning theory
Helps to explain why behaviours may be passed down in a family or within a culture
Explains why children acquire behaviour without trial-and-error learning
Does not explain why some people never learn a behaviour
Difficult to establish 100 % that the behaviour comes from observing the model
Might not show the learned behavour for some time