What is meant by the term Aggression?

1. What is meant by the term Aggression?

2. Task • In your groups you are going to try and explain the recent riots across England, using one of the psychological approaches you have studied: • Psychodynamic • Biological • With one of these explain the behaviour, and also assess the strengths and limitation of this explanation. • Feedback in 10minutes to the rest of the class.

3. Social Learning Theory (SLT) • Social learning is learning through observation, imitation and modelling or another person or role model. • Created by Albert Bandura • It is behaviourist, but does take into account thought processes • Therefore it is also cognitive

4. Process of Modelling • ATTENTION. • RETENTION • REPRODUCTION • MOTIVATION. • Remember ARRM.

5. Example • Jane dyes her hair pink because her favourite celebrity has done so. • First Jane paid attention to what the celebrity had done • Jane then retained this information • Jane was capable of reproducing the behaviour of dying her hair • Jane was motivated to dye her hair pink and did so

6. Factors involved in SLT • The more similar the role model is to the observer, the more likely that the behaviour will be imitated • Same gender • Same age or older • Also, if the role model is seen in a positive light • High status • Likeable

7. Social Learning theory and Aggression • Bandura: aggression is learnt through the observation of others.( Models) • Vicarious learning is when we watch others get rewarded or punished for behaviour, then we imitate the behaviour depending on the consequences. • Reciprocal determinism is when the individual and the environment interact and impact on each other shaping our behaviour.

8. Success of modelling • Models are imitated depending on: • Consequences of models behaviour • Status, same sex • Paying attention • Encouragement of behaviour. • Consistency • Relevance e.g. aggressive is viewed as a male characteristic. • Appropriate. Male aggressive models more likely to be imitated.

9. Applying Social Learning Theory to Aggression • TASK • Using the three aspects of SLT (ARRM, factors involved in SLT and vicarious learning) explain how children might become aggressive. Think about which models children might learn this behaviour from.

10. Support/Criticisms Support for the SLT theory of Aggression Limitations of SLT theory of aggression. Banduras’ Bobo Doll experiment evidence Feldman’s research using practical applications in Prisons to reduce aggressive behaviour. Zimbardo’s Prison study. Guards internalised aggressive and abusive behaviour Kaufman (1987) aggressive parents raise aggressive children who go onto to be aggressive towards their own children. Modelling cannot explain all aggressive behaviour. Fails to take into account Biology or cognitive factors such as decision making. Based largely on lab studies Determinist Bobo - doll designed for play not real aggression.