SOCIAL LEARNING MODEL AND VIOLENCE:Observational learning, Vicarious punishment

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Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Lesson 16

SOCIAL LEARNING MODEL AND VIOLENCE

Objectives:

To understand the basic concepts involved tin the Social learning theory

To understand the learning of aggression by imitation

To understand the concepts of vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment

To understand the Humanistic Perspective about violence

Albert Bandura is considered the leading proponent of Social Learning theory. Albert Bandura argued

that although learning takes place through reinforcement and punishment but another phenomenon,

ignored by behaviorists is Social learning. Social learning theory focuses on the learning that occurs

within a social context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as:

Observational learning

Imitation

Modeling

Social learning theory and criminal behavior

The social learning theory is the behavior theory most relevant to criminology. Albert Bandura believed

that aggression is learned through a process called behavior modeling. He believed that individuals do

not actually inherit violent tendencies, but they modeled them after three principles (Bandura, 1976:

p.204).

Albert Bandura argued that individuals, especially children learn aggressive responses from observing

others, either personally or through the media and environment. He stated that many individuals

believed that aggression will produce reinforcements. These reinforcements can formulate into

reduction of tension, gaining financial rewards, or gaining the praise of others, or building self- esteem.

Among others General principles of social learning theory follows:

1. People can learn by observing the behavior of others and the outcomes of those behaviors.

2. Learning can occur without a change in behavior. Behaviorists say that learning has to be

represented by a permanent change in behavior; in contrast social learning theorists say that

because people can learn through observation alone, their learning may not necessarily be

shown in their performance. Learning may or may not result in a behavior change.

3. Cognition plays a role in learning. Over the last 30 years social learning theory has become

increasingly cognitive in its interpretation of human learning. Awareness and expectations of

future reinforcements or punishments can have a major effect on the behaviors that people

exhibit.

4. Social learning theory can be considered a bridge or a transition between behaviorist learning

theories and cognitive learning theories.

Modeling

Models that people imitate take a wide variety of forms. A student may imitate another student, a

teacher, a parent, a sports celebrity, a movie star, a cartoon character, a fictional character in a

novel, a person demonstrating a skill in an educational film - anyone performing a behavior that can

be observed (even in the observer's imagination) can qualify as a model.

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

It is also important to note that the behavior to be imitated takes shape within the mind of the

observer. This means that if the observer thinks the model has been reinforced for performing a

behavior, then the observer is likely to imitate that behavior - even if the model did not really

perform that behavior or even if the model himself perceived the consequences to be unpleasant

rather than pleasant.

It is even possible to have people serve as models for themselves. For example, a teacher could view a

videotape of her own performance in the classroom. If her performance contained errors, feedback from

a knowledgeable colleague could enable her to visualize how she would do a better job next time.

Athletes often use tapes of themselves during good times to teach themselves ways to improve during a

slump in their performance.

Factors of modeling

Bandura mentions four conditions that are necessary before an individual can successfully model the

behavior of someone else:

1. Attention: the person must first pay attention to the model.

2. Retention: the observer must be able to remember the behavior that has been observed. One way of

increasing this is using the technique of rehearsal.

3. Motor reproduction: the third condition is the ability to replicate the behavior that the model has

just demonstrated. This means that the observer has to be able to replicate the action, which could be a

problem with a learner who is not ready developmentally to replicate the action. For example, little

children have difficulty doing complex physical motion.

4. Motivation: the final necessary ingredient for modeling to occur is motivation; learners must want to

demonstrate what they have learned. Remember that since these four conditions vary among

individuals, different people will reproduce the same behavior differently.

Types of Models

There are different types of models. There is the live model, and actual person demonstrating the

behavior. There can also be a symbolic model, which can be a person or action portrayed in some other

medium, such as television, videotape, computer programs.

Behaviors that can be learned through modeling:

Many behaviors can be learned, at least partly, through modeling. Examples that can be cited are,

students can watch parents read, students can watch the demonstrations of mathematics problems, or

seen someone acting bravely and a fearful situation. Aggression can be learned through models. Many

researches indicate that children become more aggressive when they observed aggressive or violent

models. Moral thinking and moral behavior are influenced by observation and modeling. This includes

moral judgments regarding right and wrong which can in part, develop through modeling. Usually

Bullies belong to aggressive parents and receives physical punishment at home.

Vicarious Learning

Important Factors in Vicarious Learning

There are three major factors that influence the likelihood that vicarious learning will occur:

1. The similarity of the model to the observer

2. The prestige of the model

3. The observability of the behavior to be imitated

An observer is more likely to imitate a model who is perceived as similar to the observer. Similarity

is especially important when observers have little information about the functional value of the modeled

behavior (Bandura, 1986). The degree of similarity, of course, is determined within the mind of the

observer. A young boy who thinks he is similar to Bard Pit is likely to imitate what he sees Bard Pit

doing on television, even if most impartial judges would agree that there is actually not even a remote

similarity.

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

An observer is more likely to imitate a model who is perceived as prestigious. Again, the degree of

prestige is determined within the mind of the observer. A person who is perceived to be very low in

prestige by a parent or teacher may be viewed as highly prestigious by a young child.

Behaviors that are more easily observed are more easily imitated. Observability can be increased by

such strategies as having the model perform the behavior very deliberately, using slow-motion or

videotaped replays, verbalizing or otherwise focusing attention on behaviors that are difficult to

observe, and pairing written instructions with visually modeled behaviors.

Vicarious learning can take place in two forms:

Vicarious reinforcement

Vicarious punishment

Vicarious reinforcement

Consequences of the model's behavior affect the observer's behavior vicariously. This is known as

vicarious reinforcement. This is where in the model is reinforced for a response and then the observer

shows an increase in that same response. Bandura illustrated this by having students watch a film of a

model hitting an inflated clown doll. One group of children saw the model being praised for such action.

Without being reinforced, the group of children began to also hit the doll. People are often reinforced

for modeling the behavior of others. Bandura suggested that the environment also reinforces modeling.

This is in several possible ways:

1. The observer is reinforced by the model. For example a student who changes dress to fit in

with a certain group of students has a strong likelihood of being accepted and thus reinforced by

that group.

2. The observer is reinforced by a third person. The observer might be modeling the actions of

someone else, for example, an outstanding class leader or student. The teacher notices this and

compliments and praises the observer for modeling such behavior thus reinforcing that behavior.

3. The imitated behavior itself leads to reinforcing consequences. Many behaviors that we

learn from others produce satisfying or reinforcing results. For example, a student in my

multimedia class could observe how the extra work a classmate does is fun. This student in turn

would do the same extra work and also receive enjoyment.

Vicarious punishment

Theory proposes that both reinforcement and punishment have indirect effects on learning and not only

reinforcement, punishment also influence the extent to which an individual exhibits a behavior that has

been learned. In fact, as we are studying Forensic psychology, concept of vicarious punishment is very

important for us to understand. Vicarious punishment is more effective than direct/physical punishment.

The child who is being beaten, become use to such beatings but the child who is observing this, takes

very serious effect so, vicarious punishment make that child to be far away from doing that thing.

Criticisms

One important thing that was ignored by Bandore is that he did not pay attention to the importance of

BOOKS. While reading a book reader feels the same pain and happiness the characters in book are

going through.

The social learning theory advocates that individuals, especially children, imitate or copy modeled

behavior from personally observing others, the environment, and the mass media. Biological theorists

argue that the social learning theory completely ignores individual's biological state. Also, they state

that the social learning theory rejects the differences of individuals due to genetic, brain, and learning

differences.

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

For example, if a person witnessed a hanging or a violent murder, he or she might respond in many

different ways. "Biological theorists believed that the responses would be normal and come from the

autonomic nervous system. In the autonomic nervous system, the heart rate, increase blood pressure,

nausea, and fainting would be normal symptoms of the responses that individuals might expressed in

this particular situation. Therefore, the symptoms and behavior are not learned, but partially inherited.

In addition, the social learning theory rejects the classical and operant conditioning processes. The

biological preparedness of the individual to learn as well as the role of the brain in processing

information from the social environment, are critical to learning theory, but they are ignored by the

social learning theory).

HUMANISTIC MODEL AND VIOLENCE

Westerns needed new philosophy after getting far away from churches and religion and that philosophy

was called Humanism. But this philosophy came in to psychology quite late by Carl Rogers, who was a

psychoanalyst, once he decided to honestly listen to his client with full concern and attention for just

first few sessions. So, with out any interpretation he listened to his patient for five sessions and patient

get cured. So that was the turning point for Carl Rogers and he devised a theory that only acceptance

can cure a person, no reinforcement and punishment is effective. It seems effective but was totally

opposing the mechanisms views of behaviorism.

The Humanistic perspective offers a very positive viewpoint of human nature and potential.

Emphasizing the personal worth of each individual, this perspective suggests that we are each

responsible for our own happiness and well-being as humans. We have the innate capacity for self-

actualization which is our unique desire to achieve our highest potential as people. These matters are

often summarized by the five postulates of Humanistic Psychology given by James Bugental (1964),

mainly that:

1. Human beings cannot be reduced to components.

2. Human beings have in them a uniquely human context.

3. Human consciousness includes an awareness of oneself in the context of other people.

4. Human beings have choices and responsibilities.

5. Human beings are intentional; they seek meaning, value and creativity.

And

4. All human have natural ability to grow.

5. Man is not basically animal, human natural tendency is towards growth, development and

progress.

6. Carl Rogers administered the concepts of reinforcement but opposed the wish of

controlling other people.

Then why we encounter the mental problems?

If all human beings are innately good and have the potential to grow. Then why they resort to violence?

Why they show animalism? Carl Rogers viewed that human encounters mental diseases and resort to

aggression because society blocks an individual from growth and development.

How does one become a person?

1. The individual must make contact with another person

2. The individual develops a need to be loved, referred to as positive regard

3. Finally, the individual then develops a prizing or valuing of one's self called positive self-

regard

Perspective about violence

Society blocks an individual from growing.

Aggression results from this blockage.

Violence is resistance to this blockage.

Violence is also a manifestation of this blockage.

Forensic Psychology (PSY - 513)

Roger viewed that aggression can be a result of this society's blockage and frustration and some time

aggression and violence is showed as a resistance to the hurdles that are being raised by the society.

Another source of aggression could be the manifestation of society's aggression like a person who has

been the target of society's aggression internalize that aggression and manifest that violence to other

people of society.

Perspective about education

Rogers paired up with educationists and took over a school. In that school children were given the

freedom to decide about their curriculum of the year. And they were given the freedom to set targets of

their studies and were allowed to study the subjects of their own choices. In short, they were given the

chance to grow according to the natural potential. It was assumed that such children would grow up to

calm, non violent, gentle and peaceful adults, who would not believe in solving their problems by

aggression, violence and taking away other people's rights. and their experiment was a success. So

Roger's theory not only changed the view of human nature but also contributed to the teaching and

learning.

The Client Centered Therapy

Rogers is also regarded as the father of the client centered therapy. He believed that when congruence,

unconditional positive regard, and empathy are present in a relationship, psychological growth will

invariably occur.

Empathy

Empathy means "I can feel what you feel" (Reflection) and is commonly defined as one's ability to

recognize, perceive and directly experientially feel the emotion of another. As the states of mind,

beliefs, and desires of others are intertwined with their emotions, one with empathy for another may

often be able to more effectively define another's modes of thought and mood. Empathy is often

characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes", or experiencing the outlook or emotions

of another being within oneself, a sort of emotional resonance.

Unconditional Positive Regard

"I accept you as you are" (no conditions) I respect you no matter what ever have you done.

Unconditional positive regard encourages the therapist, termed a counselor by Rogers, to treat the client

as worthy and capable, even when the client does not act or feel that way. According to the Rogers's

theory, mental illness is often caused by the absence of love, or by a defective kind of love, that the

client received as a child. By showing the client unconditional positive regard and acceptance, the

therapist is providing the best possible conditions for personal growth to the client.

Unconditional positive regard

To practice unconditional positive regard, while maintaining congruence at all times, the therapist

provides specific feedback. The counselors show and demonstrate their care with their actions. If a

clinician finds it hard to unconditionally regard their patient in a positive light, they need to keep in

mind Rogers' belief that all people have the internal resources required for personal growth.

According to this theory, it is the environment that can make the difference as to whether growth occurs.

A patient's past environment may have been such patterns of behaviors that were developed in order to

survive in that environment. These patterns can become entrenched so that the patient continues to

operate in the world with them even if they are no longer appropriate. It is usually an inappropriate

pattern that makes it hard for the clinician to regard their clients positively. The clinician needs to feel

for the person under those patterns and for the person who was damaged and then survived by adapting

by developing the patterns that are no longer appropriate.

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