IB Psychology HL

4.6 Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies Bandura (1977) suggested social learning theory (SLT) as an extension of existing learning theories (classical and operant conditioning). SLT is based on the assumption that people learn behaviours, attitudes, emotional reactions and norms through direct experiences but also through observing other humans (models). We learn consequences of behaviour from watching what happens to other humans (vicarious reinforcement). Once such information is stored in memory it serves as a guide to future actions. People are more likely to imitate behaviour that has positive consequences. Social learning can be direct via instructions or indirect (e.g. role models and no direct instructions). Four important factors in social learning (observational learning) Attention Paying attention to the model is a condition for learning ↓ Retention Remembering what the model did is a condition for imitating the mode...

4.5 Explain the formation of stereotypes and their effect on behaviour How do stereotypes form? Stereotypes are a salient part of our social and cultural environment. We learn them through daily interactions, conversations and through the media. Stereotypes are, to some extent, based on individual experiences but cultural and social factors also playa  role, i.e. stereotypes are contextualized and not simply the results of individual cognitive processing. Stereotypes can be shared by large sociocultural groups as social representations. The most common cognitive process involved in stereotyping is social categorization (Tajfel, 1969). Categorization (and stereotyping) seems to be fundamental to human nature and it helps to make the world more predictable Once stereotypes are formed they act as cognitive schemas in information processing. Empirical research: The Princeton Trilogy Study 1: Katz and Braley (1993) investigated whether traditional social stereotypes had a cul...

4.4 Evaluate social identity theory. Social identity theory (SIT) SIT s a theoretical framework developed by Tajfel and Turner (1979) for the analysis of intergroups relations. SIT is linked to the idea of self-categorization theory ( Turner 1991) . Social identity can be defined as the part of one’s self-concept based on the knowledge of membership in social group(s) in combination with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership. Individuals strive to maintain a positive self-concept as well as a positive social identity. People make comparisons between ingroup and outgroup on valued dimensions to establish, maintain, and defend positive ingroup distinctiveness (social comparison). When a social comparison results in a positive outcome for the ingroup, the need for a positive social identity is satisfied but the opposite may also happen (e.g. for low-status minority groups). Intergroup discrimination can be one way to uphold a positive social identity for...

4.3 Discuss two errors in attribution The fundamental attribution error (FAE) occurs when people overestimate personality traits (dispositional factors) and underestimate environmental factors when they explain other people’s behaviour. According to social psychologist Fiske (2004), people rely too much on personality in explaining behaviour and they underestimate - or never consider - the power of situations. In Western societies it could be because of the ideology that people get what they deserve (Gilbert 1995). It makes life more predictable if people’s behaviour is mainly caused by their personality. This gives the impression that people are understandable and easily to deal with. Explanations based solely on personality are incomplete. It would be wrong not to consider the power of situation. Ross, Amabile, and Steinmetz (1977) Aim: To investigate whether knowledge of allocated social roles in a quiz show would affect participants’ judgements of people’s expertise. Pr...

4.2 Describe the role of situational and dispositional factors in explaining behaviour. Attribution theory Attribution theory (Heider 1958) is based on the assumption that people are naive scientists who try to explain observable behaviour. An essential feature of the original attribution theory is the fundamental distinction about internal and external causes of behaviour. Attribution theory is based on the assumption that people: tend to look for causes and reasons for other people’s behaviour because they feel that there are motives behind most of their own behaviour are “intuitive psychologists” who construct their own causal theories of human behaviour construct causal theories because they want to be able to understand, predict, and control the environment around them People seem to have a pervasive need for causal explanations because this makes the world more predictable. Most cultures have constructed causal explanations for their origin and meaning of life,...