One of the primary strengths of social learning theory is
its flexibility in explaining the differences in a person's behavior or learning
, i.e., when there is a change in a person's environment, the person's behavior may change.
Limitations of the model include the following:
The theory assumes that changes in the environment will automatically lead to changes in the person, when this may not always be true
. The theory is loosely organized, based solely on the dynamic interplay between person, behavior, and environment.
Unlike stage models of child development, social learning theory doesn't hinge upon a distinct progression of learning and growth that is chronological or age dependent. The view of this theory as neglecting to consider the child's development, across all of the domains, is a
potential weakness
.
What is a strength of cognitive theory?
One strength of the cognitive approach is
that it has many practical applications
. … This means that studies taking the cognitive approach are somewhat scientific and have good internal validity as extraneous variables are controlled.
Social-Cognitive Learning Theory Activities
Think of a time that you have learned a skill or behavior from observing another person. For example, you may have
learned altruistic behavior from seeing your parents bring food to a homeless person
, or you may have learned how to train a dog from watching The Dog Whisperer.
It is frequently used to
guide behavior change interventions
. It may be particularly useful in rural communities for examining how individuals interact with their surroundings. The SCT can be used to understand the influence of social determinants of health and a person's past experiences on behavior change.
Disadvantages.
The theory does not tell us why a child would be motivated to perform the same behaviours in the absence of the model
. In a later study, Bandura and Walters' (1963) found that those in the no-reward no-punishment control group were somewhere in between high/low levels of aggression.
Although heavily supported through empirical research, the primary criticisms of the social learning theory include that
it assumes passivity in the nature of the observer who recieves rewards or punishments, that the theory does not explain why certain behaviors are rewarded or punished, and that it fails to explain
…
One of the major criticisms of social learning theory pertains to its principal concept that
increased associations with deviant peers increases the likelihood that an individual will adopt attitudes and values favourable to criminal conduct through the mechanism of rewards and punishments
.
What is cognitive theory?
Cognitive theories are characterized by their focus on the idea that
how and what people think leads to the arousal of emotions
and that certain thoughts and beliefs lead to disturbed emotions and behaviors and others lead to healthy emotions and adaptive behavior.
As such, SLT provides
a more comprehensive explanation of human learning by recognizing the role of mediational processes
. For example, Social Learning Theory is able to explain many more complex social behaviors (such as gender roles and moral behavior) than models of learning based on simple reinforcement.
What are the advantages of cognitive theory?
Enhances learning
Cognitive learning theory
enhances lifelong learning
. Workers can build upon previous ideas and apply new concepts to already existing knowledge.
Mark awarded = 2
one limitation of social learning theory is that it
is too reductionist as it reduces behaviour down too learning and neglects any biological factors
. So a multi-dimensional approach should be taken. It is also deterministic as it neglects free will, this study will not apply to every individual.
What could be the weaknesses of Piaget's theory?
A major criticism stems from the very nature of a stage theory. The stages may be inaccurate or just plain wrong. Weiten (1992) points out that
Piaget may have underestimated the development of young children
. … Furthermore, individual differences may mean that children of similar ages may vary widely across the stages.
What are the 3 main cognitive theories?
There are three important cognitive theories. The three cognitive theories are
Piaget's developmental theory, Lev Vygotsky's social cultural cognitive theory, and the information process theory
. Piaget believed that children go through four stages of cognitive development in order to be able to understand the world.
The social-cognitive perspective on personality is a theory that
emphasizes cognitive processes, such as thinking and judging, in the development of personality
. These cognitive processes contribute to learned behaviors that are central to one's personality.
Social cognitive theory is
about the process of learning behaviors through observation, modeling and repetition for positive and negative reinforcement
. … Models might purposely or not purposely show certain behaviors to children and children probably go through modeling processes from various models.
What are the strengths of observational learning?
Benefits of observational learning
Learning new skills: Children and adults can learn new skills through observational learning.
A child can learn how to paint her nails by watching their mom
, or an adult may learn to lift weights by watching others on videos.
Bandura's social cognitive theory of human functioning emphasizes the
critical role of self-beliefs in human cognition, motivation
, and behavior. Social cognitive theory gives prominence to a self-system that enables individuals to exercise a measure of control over their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Disadvantages of Social Learning
Loss of control
. Social learning requires that everyone in a company know that they are responsible for both teaching and learning. Learning experts worry about the quality of sources.
Social cognitive theory has a broader theoretical scope as it includes a conceptualization of humans as agents capable of shaping their environment and of self-regulation. Social learning theory on the other hand is
limited to tackling the learning process in the social context
.
How is cognitive theory used today?
His theory is used
widely in school systems throughout the world
and in the development of curriculums for children. His theory produced the idea of ages in stages in childhood development. This idea is used to predict the capabilities of what a child can or cannot understand depending on their stage of development.
Pros:
Provides insight into how people learn from others and provides ideas for including effective elements into your scenarios
. Cons: Not a model for how everyone might behave, more of a guide that can predict behaviour.
