Social Learning Theory
The bridge between Behaviourism
and cognitivism.
Main Assumptions
 Behaviour is learnt from a
combination of others’ behaviour and
expectation of reinforcement or
punishment for copying what is seen.
 It combines principles from the
behaviourist and cognitive
approaches.
 Imitation of others’ is a key idea.
Similarities of SLT to the other
approaches.
Behaviourist Approach
Cognitive Approach
Similarities
to SLT
Role of reinforcement
Behaviour learnt
Role of cognitive processes
Focus on human behaviour
rather than animals
Differences
from SLT
Importance of expectancy
SLT looks FWD while
Behaviourism looks BWD
Distinction between learning
and performance in SLT, while
they are the same for
behaviourism
Animals not seen as the same
as humans
Observational learning not
part of the cognitive
approach
Cognitive concentrates on
processes like schemas
SLT still tends to focus on
external behaviour, while
cognitive approach interested
in internal processes
Principles of SLT
 Bandura explains learning as more complex
than the STIMULUS-RESPONSE approach of
behaviourism. Playing down classical
conditioning and reflexes, he emphasised
two parts to learning:
 Observational Learning
 Expectancy
Observational Learning
 This is learning of behaviour from
observing the behaviours of others
and then imitating it, or, in the case
of children, learning through
identification. However, imitation is
not automatic.
Expectancy
 Behaviour will only be copied if there
is an expectancy of reinforcement for
doing so. A child, for example,
watches an aggressive adult winning
a fight. This sets in the child’s mind
the expectancy of winning by using
aggression and the child copies the
aggression for this reason. This
means that cognitive processes are
involved in the SLT.
Cognitive processes involved
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Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation
Not all models are copied, it
depends on certain issues:

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Appropriateness
Relevance
Similarity
Warmth and Friendliness
The model having power
Admiration
Consistency
Differences between SLT and
Operant Conditioning
 In SLT behaviour is only informed by
reinforcement. In behaviourism,
behaviour determined by
reinforcement.
 SLT works FWD, Behaviourism works
BWD
 Behaviourism dismisses Cognitive
Processes. SLT bring in Memory and
Attention.
The Bobo Doll Experiment
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC
ETgT_Xfzg&feature=related
Strengths
 Adds cognitive processes to
behaviourist principles
 Based on lab experiments
 Less deterministic and reductionist
 Good at explaining specific imitated
behaviour
 Explains development of culture and
complex behaviours
Limitations
 Doesn’t explain how cognitive
processes work
 Still concentrates mostly on external
behaviour
 Lab experiments are artificial
 Criticisms of Bobo Doll studies
 Not good at explaining learning of
abstract ideas