The SLT of Aggression
suggests aggressive
behaviour can be learnt in
two ways; either through
DIRECT REINFORCEMENT or
VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT
VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT is
when you observe others being
rewarded or punished for
behaviours (see role model receive
a reward, then the child may
reproduce/imitate models
behaviour in a similar situation
DIRECT REINFORCEMENT is
the learning of new behaviours
either through
reward/punishment. This can
be through direct experience
e.g. if a child pushes another
child to get a toy, the action is
reinforced because the child is
now playing with the toy they
wanted
Children and aggressive
behaviour: The SLT suggests
that children learn aggressive
behaviour through observing
models acting aggressively. The
aggressive behaviour becomes
reinforced into the child and
they may repeat the aggressive
acts they witnessed in a similar
situation as long as a reward is
likely to follow
What is
aggression?
Aggression is a type of
behaviour which is intended to
cause harm or pain. It can be
either psysical or verbal and
behaviour can be deemed
aggressive even though it
doesn't cause hurt or pain
Types of Aggression
Person Orientated: causing harm to
another person- through verbal/physical
means e.g. shooting another person
Instrumental: Individual gains a
reward/preferred outcome for
aggressive behaviour e.g. hockey
player- hostility increases chances of
winning by taking out other players
Reactive: A response to an
aggressive situation; often
shown in response to
provocation e.g. self
defense
Sanctioned:
Permitted/legal/justifiable
aggressive behaviour e.g.
soldiers fighting in a war
What is meant by SLT?
Social learning can be explained
as learning through observation
and modelling. It focuses on the
learning that occurs within a
social context (such as your
environment). It suggests that
people learn from one another,
including such concepts as
observational learning, imitation,
and modelling (Abbott, 2007).
2. Social Psychological Explanations of Aggression
With the help of social psychologists
such as Bandura, there are four main
methods of SLT which explain how
aggressive behaviour can be repeated..
1. Attention: the individual needs to be present to
observe models behaviour e.g. children need to
attend to what the aggressor is doing/saying in order
to reproduce the models behaviour accurately
2. Retention: In order to model the models
behaviour, it must be remembered and
placed into the LTM- where it can be
retrieved in similar situations
4. Motivation:
Individual expects to
receive positive
reinforcement for their
imitated behaviour
Media violence and Aggression
The SLT leads up to consider where children may be
exposed to aggressive models. Research has shown
that TV has been a powerful source of imitative
learning. Children may watch their role models on TV
(such as super hero's fighting the bad guy) and the
child may then take a mental representation of their
role model's behaviour
Hero's can be powerful role models for
children; even though they aren't
necessarily real!
The case of
Jamie Bulger-
murderers (ten years)
exposed to
violent films
3. Banduras research into the SLT of Aggression
What did he claim?
Aggressive behaviour is
learned either through direct
experience/observing others
What is his most famous piece of research?
Bandura conducted an
experiment using a Bobo Doll
(inflatable doll) to investigate
whether aggressive behaviour
can be learnt through
reinforcement and punishment
Findings: Children witnessing the model on the
video being rewarded imitated more aggressive
behaviours than those who saw the model being
punished
Conclusion: Children learn aggressive
behaviour through imitation and
observation; especially if the model has
been rewarded for their aggressive act
Reward for a certain
behaviour acts as a
positive reinforcement
which ultimately
influences the likelihood
of the behaviour being
performed by the child
(observer)