Descibe and Evaliate the Social Learning Theory

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Describe and evaluate the social learning theory. Refer to evidence in your answer. The social learning theory believes the our behaviour is learnt through our environmement, and that it is the people around us that teach us our behaviour. Social learning theorist believe that behaviour is learnt in steps and that factors including reinforcement, motivation as well as mediating cognitive factors, effect whether the behaviour is repeated or not. Firstly, the child observes a model displaying a certain behaviour. If the child pays attention to the behaviour been modelled, they will repeat (imitate) the behaviour, and it will be practised and eventually interlised. It is thought that we are more likely to copy the behaviour is we see the model like ourselves, as well as if the person has a higher status then ourselves, as we have a desire to be like them. However there are many cognitive factors between the stage of observing the behaviour and imitating the behaviour, this is known as mediating cognitive factors and there are 4 steps. Stage 1 is attention, the observer pays attention to the model, stage 2 is memory, this is an effect of how much attention was given to the models behaviour, if the observer remembers the behaviour enough then the behaviour will be recalled, the observer also assesses their own ability and asked themselves if they are capable of carrying out that particular behaviour. Finally the observer is more likely to imitate if they are vaciourusaly reinforced, this is when the model is seen to receive a reward for their behaviour. Some behaviours may not be imitated this is because of vacirous punishment. The observer may see the model being punished for their behaviour and will therefore not imitate it, as they wish to avoid being in trouble. Behaviour is more likely to be repeated if it is rewarded by someone usually a parent, or

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