Exam Tip

Work out how much time you have per mark for your exam questions and only spend that amount of time answering each part of each question.

For AQA-A:

Part (a) on an AS question paper is only worth 6 marks, no matter how good your answer is!
Part (b) is also only worth 6 marks
Part (c) is worth 60% of the question

If you do not answer part (c) you can only get 40% of the marks for that question - assuming the answers for (a) and (b) are perfect. 40% is only just a grade E

Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory and Bobo Doll Video

Albert Bandura proposed that most behaviour develops through imitating others, although some develops through conditioning. Unlike behaviourism, however, Bandura’s theory also takes into account the role of cognition; learning can occur without a corresponding change in behaviour. Social learning theory also suggests that reinforcements and punishments merely determine whether a learned behaviour is exhibited.

Here are the key aspects of Bandura's theory:

People learn from observation of others, however, this can depend on the amount of attention that is given to the behaviour.

The person whose behaviour is being observed is called a model.

Learning takes place without effort; however, the observer must be paying attention.

Reinforcement is not necessary for learning to take place; however, it does determine whether the behaviour is imitated.
Reinforcements and punishments can be vicarious; if the model’s behaviour has a pleasurable outcome it is more likely to be repeated by the observer. Vicarious means 'taking the place of others'; vicarious reinforcement is where one person's reinforcements have an effect on another person.

The learner may receive reinforcements or punishments for imitating the model, this also affects behaviour.
Some models are more likely to be imitated than others.

Bandura tested his theory with his famous Bobo Doll Experiment (see video below).