A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND BEHAVIORAL THEORY
Instructions:-
In this assignment, you are asked to present a comprehensive analysis of two major theories Social Learning Theory and Behavioral Theory covered in this class to demonstrate your understanding of, and ability to apply, these theories in direct practice. This analysis should include the following:
1. Historical context and development of each theory;
2. Major contributors associated with each theory;
3. Comparison and contrast of the defining characteristics of each theory;
4. Application of each theory in clinical practice
5. Specific interventions relevant to each theory (if any)
6. Limitations of each theory in social work practice
You are encouraged to include case material from your field placement to demonstrate your understanding and application of your chosen theories (someone experiencing depression) . Please utilize professional literature, peer review journal articles and class readings and texts to support your positions. This paper is to be prepared in APA style and all references must be included on a reference page and cited in appropriate format. This paper requires a minimum of four (4) references.
These are the headings:
Theory Context/Development
Social Learning Theory
Behavioral Theory
Contributors
Social Learning Theory
Behavioral Theory
Theory Compare and Contrast
Theories Contrast
Theories Compare
Interventions
Social Learning Theory
Behavioral Theory
Theory Application in Practice
Limitations
Social Learning Theory
Behavioral Theory
References
Walsh, Joseph (2013). Theories for Direct Social Work Practice. USA: Cengage
Learning. (you can reference to this book is free online)
Solution
A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND BEHAVIORAL THEORY
Historical context and development of each theory
Social Learning Theory
The Social Learning Theory (SLT) is a theory centered on social behavior and learning. The theory proposes that social beings acquire new behaviors through observation and imitation of other social beings. SLT includes three models which illustrate how social learning occurs through observation and imitation; the live model, the Verbal Instruction model, and the Symbolic model. In the Live Model, learning occurs when a person demonstrates the desired behavior to others. In the Verbal Instruction Model, learning occurs when an individual gives a verbal description of the desired behavior. Lastly, learning in the Symbolic model occurs through observation and imitation of real or fictional characters on social media. Additionally, SLT proposes that learning also takes place through social beings observing the punishments and rewards associated with particular behaviors. Whereas rewarding behaviors are likely to persist due to the positive outcomes associated with them, behaviors which are punished consistently are likely to become extinct from social contexts.
SLT is largely considered to be an extension of behavioral and cognitive theories which were developed earlier than SLT, hence it is considered to have developed from behaviorism and cognitive psychology. Under behaviorism, proponents argued that behavior is purely a result of external environmental stimuli, and that at birth; the mind is purely a blank slate which learns by getting exposure to various environmental stimuli. Under cognitive theories, proponents argued that behavior arises purely from internal mental contents and an organism’s genetic coding.
Behavioral Theory/Theory of Behavioral Psychology
The behavioral theory is a learning theory founded on the premise that the behaviors that social beings exhibit are acquired through a process known as conditioning. Condition, in this respect, refers to the interaction that occurs between the social beings and their environments. In this interaction, the social beings’ response to stimuli in the environment generally shape their actions, hence their behaviors. This leads to the conclusion that any individual, regardless of their internal mental states and genetic background, can perform any task as long as they are trained for the task through the right conditioning.
Basically, BT presents two major ways in which learning occurs; classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In classical conditioning, a neutral signal or stimuli is placed before a natural reflex response, resulting into a conditioned response. In operant conditioning, learning occurs through observation of punishments and rewards to various behaviors.
Behavioral Theory was developed so as to discredit the cognitive theories of behavior that had dominated in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cognitive theories looked at behavior as purely arising from an organism’s mental states. The impact of external stimuli on behavior (Classical conditioning) was first empirically tested by Pavlov in his conditioning experiment applied on dogs. Pavlov’s findings illustrated that the dog salivated (conditioned response) on hearing the ring of a bell (conditioned stimuli) (Todes, 2002). In the early 20th century, Watson proposed that all social beings were born with a blank mental state known as tabula rasa (Watson, 1913). This blank mind is gradually programmed by external environment stimuli, which then make the individual to behave in a certain way that conforms to the environment in which they reside. In the year 1953, Skinner developed radical behaviorism in which he introduced the concept of classical and operant conditioning. Skinner also published another article (1971) in which he posited that free will does not exist but rather organisms exhibit behaviors, controlled largely by the external environment, which govern decision-making.
Major Contributors
Social Learning Theory
In the development of the Social Learning Theory, Albert Bandura, a current professor of Psychology at Stanford University, is regarded as the most influential psychologist behind the development of the theory. This is because; Bandura (1971) presented a statement which served to integrate both cognitive psychology theories that were dominant in the mid-20th century, and psychological conditioning theories (Maisto et al, 1999).
In early 1954, a psychologist known as Julian Rotter developed a social learning theory in which he argued that behaviors exhibited by social beings were as a result of their interaction with their environments (Rotter, 1972). The pioneer works of Julian Rotter perhaps laid an important groundwork for Bandura’s SLT works. Though Bandura’s social learning theory is slightly different from Julian’s version, Bandura (1971) borrowed some ideas some from Julian’s work. The ideas borrowed from Julian’s work include operant conditioning in which constantly punished behaviors gradually become extinct while constantly rewarded behaviors persist.
Clerck Lewis Hull, another researcher, developed his version of social learning theory in which he posited that personality traits and behaviors consisted of habits that had been learned over a period of time. He also proposed the drive need theory in which behavioral responses were mainly stimulated by certain needs/drives.
Bandura, in his perspective, saw existing theories as partially explaining the conception of personality, hence he saw the need to integrate the cognitive psychology theories and behavioral theories so as to fully explain behavior.
Behavioral Theory
The earliest known contribute to the present behavioral theory is Pavlov. Pavlov was a biology researcher who empirically contributed to this theory by illustrating that behavior is shaped by external stimuli (Todes, 2002).
Watson JB contributed to BT by suggesting that the mind is blank at birth and the organism literary knows nothing. However, exposure to environmental stimuli makes the organism to exhibit corresponding behaviors. Watson even went ahead and established a school of behavioral psychology at Columbia University (Watson, 1913).
Skinner, a professor of psychology at Harvard University, contributed by partially agreeing and partially disagreeing with Watson. He posited that the mind is not purely blank at birth and that both environmental stimuli and cognitive states contribute to behavior, though cognitive states cannot explain behavior (Skinner, 2014).
Compare and Contrast Theories
Contrast Theories
The two theories, behavioral theory and social learning theory, differ in many aspects. This comparative analysis considers social learning theory developed by Badura and behavioral theory.
First, behavioral theory assumes that all behavior occurs as a result of social beings interacting with their environments; hence behavior can be externally controlled. Contrarily, social learning theory argues that behavior is not solely determined by external controls in the environment, but rather a combination of external controls and internal cognitive states of the social being.
Secondly, while both STL and behavioral theory acknowledge operant conditioning, STL posits that punishment and reinforcement on certain behaviors only produces expectations in the subjects, whereas BT posits that reinforcement and punishment for particular behaviors produces direct behavioral changes.
Compare Theories
While the two theories differ in many aspects, there are also a number of similarities that exist between the theories. First, both theories hold that the surrounding environment shapes behaviors and perhaps dictates which behaviors should be encouraged and which ones should be discouraged. This is illustrated in the operant conditioning posited in both behavioral theory and social learning theory.
Secondly, both theories illustrate that experience is an essential element of learning i.e. for learning to occur, the organism must have been exposed to the necessary conditions and stimuli. As with SLT, consistent exposure to observable stimuli leads to learning and development of behavior. As with behaviorism, exposure to various stimuli transforms the mind from its slack state to a learned mind capable of controlling behavior.
Theory Application in Clinical Practice
According to (Walsh, 2013), application in clinical practice entails the use of social work theory and its methods in preventing and resolving problems of psychological nature associated with either individuals, their families or groups.
Social Learning Theory
Social learning theory has enabled behaviourists to turn their attention in understanding to how individuals interpret events (internally) based on their response to stimuli. Accordingly, this theory gave rise to cognitive mediation; which served to help in understanding as to why specific sets of individuals adopt unique behaviours based on similar responses to stimuli. This has been made possible through learned patterns of environmental response to stimuli (Walsh, 2013). In addition, it enables the improvement of social behaviour through social skills development by adolescents. Furthermore, the theory introduced the aspect of modelling to understand that the behaviour of individuals or groups is not only influenced through direct reinforcement but also due to experiencing how other people’s behaviour is reinforced.
Behavioral Theory
For this theory, the main focus is on behaviour. In current clinical practice, the two constructs of behavioural theory – operant conditioning and classical conditioning – have found important applications. Operant conditioning has been applied in assisting clients identify and adopt behaviours that offer alternative forms of reinforcements as compared to existing behaviours which might cause them harm. In particular, such behaviours include hobbies, relationships, sports, and work. This theory is also applied in parenting where parents are encouraged to eliminate negative behaviours from their children through punishment and encourage positive behaviours through rewards (Walsh, 2013).
Classical conditioning is applied in understanding the causes of various psycho-social problems that clients face such as alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety-related disorders, fear, and mental depression (Walsh, 2013). Many of these psychosocial problems are conditioned responses that result from conditioned stimuli e.g. a person who drinks develops a habit of drinking alcohol during boredom may develop addiction which is triggered by boring situations. In this case, associating the boredom with a positive activity such as sports reverses the conditioning. Similarly, anxiety-related problems are associated with conditioned stimuli such as fear of dogs resulting from a dog bite. Interventions will therefore entail re-conditioning the client to view dogs as pets rather than frightening animals. Fear-associated situations such as public speaking are intervened by rank-ordering the fearful situations by both practitioner and client depending on the intensity of fear invoked by each. The client is then guided in facing each situation beginning with the one that provokes least fear (Walsh, 2013).
Specific Interventions
Social Learning Theory: Parenting Interventions
While SLT has found a number of applications in clinical practice and social work, it is essential to focus on one specific intervention in which social learning theory is effectively applicable. The area of parenting entails teaching and raising children with positive and desirable behaviours. As SLT posits, social beings will tend to acquire behaviours which are associated with their environments through observation and imitation (O’Connor et al, 2013). Parents are encouraged to be role models to their children by upholding desirable behaviours such as orderliness, cleanliness, honesty, and hard work among others in the presence of their children. This is because, children will tend to imitate the behaviours of their parents, and if the behaviours are not desirable, children will also develop similar undesirable behaviours. Furthermore, parents should punish their children for undesirable behaviours and reward them for desirable behaviours as posited in SLT (O’Connor et al, 2013).
Behavioural Theory: Drug abuse interventions
According to most behavioural scientists, drug abuse and drug addiction result when the respective drugs, as key reinforcement agents, assume much more control over the behaviour of an individual. An initial exposure to the reinforcing agent may result into an escalation in the behaviour that caused it. Consequently, any time the drug is available to the individual, the availability will produce a desire to abuse the drug in a similar manner as the first exposure. This creates a drug abuse behaviour in which the individual must always abuse the drug once it is within their reach. In support of this behavioural views, US soldiers on a mission in Vietnam who used excess heroin while on the mission eventually stopped the use of heroine when they went back home (Winger et al, 2005).
Therefore, an SLT intervention to drug abuse suggests that drug addicts can be treated by reconditioning the responses they generate when exposed to drugs. For instance, administering punishments to drug addicts will certainly make them associate drugs with pain of punishment, hence desist from the abuse. Secondly, intervention can be achieved by associating drug abuse skeptism with positive outcomes. For instance, people screened and found to have clean urine samples can be offered shopping vouchers. This will stimulate addicts to strive and leave their habits so as to gain the benefits associated with the opposite behaviour (Winger et al, 2005).
Limitations
Limitations of Social Learning Theory
The testing of particular facets of the SLT are quite challenging due to the negative ethical implications they portray. In particular, empirical tests for children’s capability to imitate and learn negative behaviours such as violence and drug abuse cannot be performed due to the ethical questions they raise pertaining the requirement to protect research participants from any form of harm (Siemens, 2014).
Limitations of Behavioural Theory
Behavioural theories present two main weaknesses. First, behaviourism presents the problem of adaptability in which there is insufficient knowledge on how the theory could be applied in different social and cultural situations. A behaviour that works fine in a given situation could not produce similar results in another different situation. For instance, teaching people writing and typing skills will eventually make them good writers and typists. However, exposing the same people to a book and requesting them to provide their views on the book will provide differing results (Siemens, 2014).
References
Albert Bandura (1971). “Social Learning Theory” (PDF). General Learning Corporation.
Maisto, S. A., Carey, K. B., & Bradizza, C. M. (1999). Social learning theory. Psychological theories of drinking and alcoholism, 2, 106-163.
O’Connor, T. G., Matias, C., Futh, A., Tantam, G., & Scott, S. (2013). Social learning theory parenting intervention promotes attachment-based caregiving in young children: Randomized clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 42(3), 358-370.
Rotter, J. B., Chance, J. E., & Phares, E. J. (1972). Applications of a social learning theory of personality.
Siemens, G. (2014). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age http://er.dut.ac.za/bitstream/handle/123456789/69/Siemens_2005_Connectivism_A_learning_theory_for_the_digital_age.pdf
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. Simon and Schuster.
Skinner, B. F., Skinner, B. F., Psychologue, E. U., Skinner, B. F., & Skinner, B. F. (1972). Beyond freedom and dignity (No. 04; BF319. 5. O6, S5.). New York: Bantam Books.
Skinner, B. F. (2014). Verbal behavior. BF Skinner Foundation.
Todes, D. P. (2002). Pavlov’s physiology factory: Experiment, interpretation, laboratory enterprise. JHU Press.
Walsh, Joseph (2013). Theories for Direct Social Work Practice. USA: Cengage
Watson, J. B. (1913). Psychology as the behaviorist views it. Psychological review, 20(2), 158.
Winger, G., Woods, J. H., Galuska, C. M., & Wade-Galuska, T. (2005). Behavioral Perspectives on the Neuroscience of Drug Addiction. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84(3), 667–681. http://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2005.101-04.
