1. Social Learning Theory Approach
Aim: To describe and evaluate the approach of social psychology

2. What does this advert suggest about children’s behaviour?

3. Today’s session You will learn how to... You will learn about...
Describe and apply psychological approaches & theories
Consider the relationship between an approach and its methods
Compare and distinguish between approaches
Social learning theory
Research by Bandura (1965)

4. Behaviourism S R
Behaviourists aren’t interested in what happens in between S and R. They don’t think you need to know.

5. Social learning theory
Social Learning Theorists say that things take place within the organism that mediate between S and R.
You do need to know about the person’s mental processes.

6. Social learning theory
Agrees with behaviourist learning theories
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Adds two important ideas:
Mediating processes between stimuli & responses
Observational learning

7. Bandura’s SLT research

8. What did the children need to do in order to reproduce the behaviour later?

9. Social learning theory
A person pays attention to someone else’s behaviour
They memorise the behaviour they have observed
They practice the behaviour themselves
Given a reason, they may use it

10. Evaluating the Social Learning Theory
AIM: To analyse strengths and weaknesses of SLT.
Testosterone – read the article and discuss implications for SLT.

11. Testosterone

12. Strength or weakness?
SLT is useful in real life situations because . . .(link to video games)
The Bandura study suffers from demand characteristics because . . .
SLT underestimates biological factors because . . .(link to testosterone)
SLT is less reductionist than Behaviourism because . . .
What about the differences between individuals? (CLUE: smokers having children who smoke)
SLT can explain cultural differences in behaviour because . . .

13. Exam Question:
Outline the social learning theory approach with reference to research (12marks) OR: Discuss whether behaviour can be learnt within a social context (12marks)

14. Bandura (1965) Aims and conclusions External validity
Internal validity
Ethical issues

15. Homework
Outline and evaluate the social learning theory approach in psychology. Refer to the behaviourist approach within your evaluation (12marks)