Social Learning Theory
Social learning theory
Social psychological theories of aggression
Social learning theory
Introduction
During your study of psychology, you will have noticed that aspects of human behaviour such as aggression can be explained in more than one way, and that these ways often conflict. These different explanations are what provide psychology with its unique perspective on understanding human behaviour. As you have seen, aggression is a term that is not easy to define, and why the behaviour is shown is difficult to explain. Social psychological explanations of aggression provide one perspective towards explaining the human behaviour of aggression. Social psychological explanation might include: social learning theory; deindividuation; cue-arousal; …show more content…
a ‘real’ or ‘imaginary’ incentive. The central part of these processes was the presence of a role model from whom behaviour could be copied. According to Bandura, the behaviour is often imitated from a role model, a person who seems similar to the child (e.g. in age or sex) or who is in a position of power (e.g. a pop idol, teachers or parents). While the presence of a model is important, the child sill needs to have a level of self-confidence that lets them imitate the behaviour. Bandura referred to this as self-efficacy. Bandura’s explanation of social learning theory was based on research that has become well known – his Bobo doll studies. Both the original study and variations of the study helped Bandura forward the view that human behaviour was often shaped by the socio-cultural processes of social …show more content…
The theory has face validity through its explanation of how behaviour can be imitated from role models such as television personalities and pop stars. In a Daily Telegraph article (5 March 2008) this issue is highlighted. A UN report: blames the police and courts for making matters worse by treating stars ‘leniently’ and failing to make an example of them. The annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board – a UN agency – has highlighted for the first time the influence of film actors, sports stars and rock musicians on impressionable fans… It does not identify anyone but the singers Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty and Kate Moss, the model, are likely to have been in their sights… Social learning theory has been applied to other anti-social areas, for example, Akers and Burgess (1966) used social learning theory to explain deviancy. Bandura’s research focused society’s attention on the power of
Social psychological theories of aggression
Social learning theory
Introduction
During your study of psychology, you will have noticed that aspects of human behaviour such as aggression can be explained in more than one way, and that these ways often conflict. These different explanations are what provide psychology with its unique perspective on understanding human behaviour. As you have seen, aggression is a term that is not easy to define, and why the behaviour is shown is difficult to explain. Social psychological explanations of aggression provide one perspective towards explaining the human behaviour of aggression. Social psychological explanation might include: social learning theory; deindividuation; cue-arousal; …show more content…
a ‘real’ or ‘imaginary’ incentive. The central part of these processes was the presence of a role model from whom behaviour could be copied. According to Bandura, the behaviour is often imitated from a role model, a person who seems similar to the child (e.g. in age or sex) or who is in a position of power (e.g. a pop idol, teachers or parents). While the presence of a model is important, the child sill needs to have a level of self-confidence that lets them imitate the behaviour. Bandura referred to this as self-efficacy. Bandura’s explanation of social learning theory was based on research that has become well known – his Bobo doll studies. Both the original study and variations of the study helped Bandura forward the view that human behaviour was often shaped by the socio-cultural processes of social …show more content…
The theory has face validity through its explanation of how behaviour can be imitated from role models such as television personalities and pop stars. In a Daily Telegraph article (5 March 2008) this issue is highlighted. A UN report: blames the police and courts for making matters worse by treating stars ‘leniently’ and failing to make an example of them. The annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board – a UN agency – has highlighted for the first time the influence of film actors, sports stars and rock musicians on impressionable fans… It does not identify anyone but the singers Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty and Kate Moss, the model, are likely to have been in their sights… Social learning theory has been applied to other anti-social areas, for example, Akers and Burgess (1966) used social learning theory to explain deviancy. Bandura’s research focused society’s attention on the power of