Social Cognitive Theory

1655 Words7 Pages
Using evidence from the literature, outline how the social cognitive approach to learning can explain both aggression and prosocial behaviour. Introduction This essay looks to carefully outline how the social cognitive approach to learning can explain both aggression and prosocial behaviour. The essay begins by looking at the social cognitive theory and Bandura’s (1961) Bobo doll experiment. When looking at the concepts of both aggression and prosocial behaviour this essay focuses on how the media can be a basis of social cognitive learning and how aggression can be account for by violent modes of media and how prosocial behaviour can be accounted for by educational modes of media. Social Cognitive Theory Bandura’s…show more content…
The children were assigned to one of three different experimental conditions. The first group of children watched the model act aggressively towards the Bobo doll; the second group observed the model acting non-aggressive towards the doll; the third group acted as the control and experienced no exposure to the models with the Bobo dolls. Half of the children in these experimental conditions were assigned with same-sex models and the other half were assigned with models of the opposite sex. These children were then examined and assessed for the amount imitative or non-imitative aggression they acted towards the Bobo doll, in a new environment without the presence of the model (Bandura and Huston, 1961). The results from this experiment showed that children who were exposed to the aggressive models acted more aggressively to the the doll, similarly in the way in which the model behaved. They also had a notably higher average aggression score than the children who were exposed to the non-aggressive models and those part of the control group. Where the influence of the sex of the model was concerned it was seen that boys behaved more aggressively than girls after observing the male model (Artino, Jr.…show more content…
Primarily aggressive behaviour is explained through Bandura’s (1961) Bobo doll experiment and can be concluded that children who observe aggression towards the doll by the model will then reproduce the actions of the model or show similar aggression to the doll. It can be said that the media has a huge role in the social cognitive approach to learning. It can be concluded that TV programmes of a violent nature lead to more aggressive behaviour in children and an increased amount of exposure to these programmes is linked to adult aggression (Huesmann et al. 2003), however, it can also be proven that TV programmes of an educational nature can promote prosocial behaviour in children (Friedrich and Stein, 1975). The same can be said for video games (Toppo, 2015). Therefore, based on the evidence, it can be proven true that the observational learning involved in the social cognitive theory can account for aggressive and prosocial
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