Social Learning Social Learning TheoryTheory

The Individual vs. the Environment

Roots in TraditionalRoots in TraditionalLearning ThemesLearning Themes

You are what you have experiencedYou are what you have experienced

Learning occurs via outcomes Learning occurs via outcomes – (rewards and punishments)(rewards and punishments)– Best to study animalsBest to study animals

BehaviorismBehaviorism

B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

BehaviorismBehaviorism

Purest version of learning theoriesPurest version of learning theories

Rewards & punishment = Rewards & punishment = conditioningconditioning

Emphasis on scientific rigorEmphasis on scientific rigor

Only replicable observation countsOnly replicable observation counts

How Behaviorists View the How Behaviorists View the Function of the BrainFunction of the Brain

Are Rats Little People?Are Rats Little People?

Social Learning TheorySocial Learning Theory

1960’s1960’s

No direct reward necessaryNo direct reward necessary

-Allows for thinking !-Allows for thinking !

-Part of -Part of cognitive revolution cognitive revolution inin

Scientific psychologyScientific psychology

Albert BanduraAlbert Bandura

Two Versions of Social Learning Two Versions of Social Learning TheoryTheory

Vicarious Learning - others get Vicarious Learning - others get rewarded or punished in view of the rewarded or punished in view of the learnerlearner

Pure Modeling - no one gets Pure Modeling - no one gets rewarded or punishedrewarded or punished

Who Do We Model?Who Do We Model?

ParentsParents

Pop Pop StarsStars

Political Political LeadersLeaders

Historical Historical FiguresFigures

ProblemProblemMany anti-social role modelsMany anti-social role models

Be a Canadian HeroBe a Canadian Hero

Be ViolentBe Violent

Be A Crook Like Tony SopranoBe A Crook Like Tony Soprano

Be a Jack-AssBe a Jack-Ass

Even Cartoons!Even Cartoons!South Park; Beavis & ButtheadSouth Park; Beavis & Butthead

Be SkinnyBe Skinny

Critique of Learning TheoriesCritique of Learning Theories

No big picture of the personNo big picture of the person

Too much focus on situationsToo much focus on situations

Ignore biological factorsIgnore biological factors

Mechanical -- No free willMechanical -- No free will

Determinism vs. Free WillDeterminism vs. Free Will

Determinism says that all behavior Determinism says that all behavior follows scientific lawsfollows scientific laws

Only Humanistic Theories have free Only Humanistic Theories have free willwill

No room for free will in learning No room for free will in learning equation: S -------> Requation: S -------> R

Life Is A Pool TableLife Is A Pool Table

Ayn RanAyn Ran

Laissez-faireLaissez-faire Capitalism CapitalismStrongly individualist Strongly individualist opposition to state intervention into opposition to state intervention into personal, social or economic affairs personal, social or economic affairs anti-Communist. anti-Communist. exalted American values of rational exalted American values of rational egoism and individualism. egoism and individualism. strong opposition to mysticism strong opposition to mysticism one of the three founding mothers of one of the three founding mothers of modern American libertarianismmodern American libertarianism

Ayn Ran BelievedAyn Ran Believed

Psychology is dangerous to societyPsychology is dangerous to society

Takes away responsibility for social Takes away responsibility for social behavior such as in the case of:behavior such as in the case of:– ViolenceViolence– Communicable disease controlCommunicable disease control

Case of Robert K.Case of Robert K.

Robert K. was found guilty by a jury Robert K. was found guilty by a jury of his peers of molesting several of his peers of molesting several children for ten years. They included children for ten years. They included his own daughter.his own daughter.

Mitigating FactorsMitigating FactorsHe and all of his siblings had He and all of his siblings had psychological problems (e.g., psychological problems (e.g., depression; sexual disturbances)depression; sexual disturbances)He was an alcoholicHe was an alcoholicHe was poor and uneducatedHe was poor and uneducatedA brain tumor was discovered; after A brain tumor was discovered; after removal, he no longer molestedremoval, he no longer molestedHe had been sexually abused by both He had been sexually abused by both of his own parentsof his own parents

What would you recommend What would you recommend as punishment and why?as punishment and why?

Was Ayn Rand Right ?Was Ayn Rand Right ?

Those who assume free like Ayn Those who assume free like Ayn Rand will assign the maximum Rand will assign the maximum punishmentpunishment

Determinists believe that Determinists believe that punishment should be handed out in punishment should be handed out in accordance with the circumstances accordance with the circumstances that surrounded the casethat surrounded the case

What do you believe?What do you believe?

How Would You Intervene?How Would You Intervene?

Determinist?Determinist?

Free Willer?Free Willer?