Bhabesh & Taing 11

SOCIOCULTURAL LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies. Introduction: Paragraph 1 Norms: set of rules based on socially & culturally shared beliefs of how individuals should behave, we are social animals, a need to belong desire to conform to group norms Social learning theory: an extension of existing learning theories such as classical and operant conditioning, assumption that people learn behaviors, attitudes, emotional reactions, and norms through direct experiences and observations Observational learning: people learn by watching, observing models and imitating their behaviors, learn consequences of certain behaviors from watching what happens to others (vicarious reinforcement), we learn without the need to perform observed behaviors, social learning can be direct or indirect, modeling occurs through gatekeepers (list) Four conditions: attention, retention, reproduction, motivation Factors that influence SLT: consistency, relevancy/appropriateness, powerfulness, identification, reward, friendliness This essay will attempt to explain the social learning theory of observational learning and in particular, the role of violence in media on aggression in children. Study 1: Bandura and Ross (1961) Paragraph 2 Thesis: A significant research study on learning violence through models and observational learning which is an example of social learning theory is Bandura and Ross (1961). Aim: to investigate whether children would imitate aggression of an adult model, to see whether children are more likely to imitate same-sex models than opposite sex models (to test observation and modeling of aggressive behavior) Method: participants 36 boys and 36 girls of ages between 3 and 6 from Stanford University Nursery school, divided into 3 groups based on levels of aggressiveness (evaluation from teachers and parents), 1st group: exposed to adult model behaving aggressively towards Bobo doll by bashing it up, 2nd group: observed non-aggressive adult who assembled toys, 3rd group: control, some groups children watched same-sex models others opposite sex models, children were then later placed into a lab room set up as a play room with a Bobo doll, controlled experiment (variables were controlled) Paragraph 3 Results: children who had observed the aggressive adult models displayed more aggressive behavior towards the Bobo doll, physically and verbally, social learning theory demonstrated as children learned aggressive behavior through observational learning, children in 2nd group showed almost no aggression, 88% of children imitated aggressive behavior, girls likely to imitate verbal aggression, boys likely to imitate physical aggression, boys more aggressive overall, children more likely to imitate same-sex models

 Significance: observational vicarious learning demonstrated, children learned specific aggressive behaviors through observing adult models, cannot conclude that children become more aggressive after watching aggressive models (television and video games) Evaluation: controlled variables so causational relationships could be formed, lacks ecological validity as this would not happen in the real world, demand characteristics, children too young, genders are represented equally: 36 vs. 36, ethical issues with letting kids experience and watch and commit aggressive actions, culture is only American culture (little kids from Stanford) cannot be generalized to the world, not representative, oversimplification of learning process, Study 2: Charlton-et-al-2000 Paragraph 4 Aim: To investigate the effect of satellite TV on the aggressive behavior of children. Method: The participants were between the ages of 3 and 8 on the island of St Helena The participants had never been exposed to satellite TV before. The behavior of the children was analyzed in 1994 (before satellite TV) by filming 256 minutes of recess at school on the playground. Their behavior was analyzed again in 2000 (5 years after satellite TV) by filming 344 minutes of recess at school on the playground. There were 26 different types of anti- and pro-social behavior that the researchers were looking for, these included: pushing, kicking and hitting, or sharing and affection. The analysis of results was based on four violent and four pro-social behaviors in addition to gender and number of children involved. Results: No significant difference in results Levels of violent behavior remained low through out. About twice as much pro-social behavior as there was violent, through out. Paragraph 5 Conclusion: The researchers concluded that exposure to violent TV does not necessarily result in an increase in violent behavior. Its important to note that no differences were spotted in the most common association with violent TV: kicking, hitting, and punching. Significance: Same as Study 1. Evaluation: Cant be generalized to all people, or even a country, because the sample consisted of children from only one small island. The definitions of violent, and pro-social may vary from person to person. This means that there is subjectivity in the experiment and can lead to confirmation bias. High ecological validity: many children watch TV and the experiment was conducted in the natural environment of these children, so there is high ecological validity.

Conclusion: Paragraph 6 Social Identity theory explains why: Certain behaviors may be passed down families, cultures or maybe even the entire human race How not only children, but how the rest of the people in the world learn to decide and make decisions without trial-and-error However the social identity theory does not state that all behaviors that are required are demonstrated. Nevertheless, there is a basis to the theory that humans do learn through observations and experiences.