16 Marker- Social Learning Theory& The Prefrontal Cortex
(Biological)
Q. Henrietta has been in trouble for her aggression. She has poured a drink over a
customer after they complained about the service at the restaurant she works at.
Her boss says that if Henrietta is aggressive again to someone at work she will be fired.
Henrietta’s parents have said that she has to look for somewhere else to live after she
threw a book at her younger brother. Her father thinks Henrietta’s aggression is due
to her watching the behaviour of the female lead in a martial arts film. Her mother
thinks that the aggression is due to damage to Henrietta’s prefrontal cortex after she
fell down some stairs.
To what extent do social learning theory and the prefrontal cortex explain Henrietta’s
behaviour?
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
AO1 AO2 AO3
Social learning theory states Since Henrietta and the Bandura, Ross & Ross
that individuals are more female lead in the martial (1961) shows the
likely to imitate observed arts film are of the same importance of similar role
behaviour if they can identify sex, Henrietta would be able models. The children were
with the model. to identify with her and this more likely to imitate
makes her more likely to aggression in a same-sex
imitate the behaviour she role model.
sees.
Vicarious reinforcement Henrietta may have seen SLT does not acknowledge
causes increased likeliness the female lead in the film the influence of free will- it
that an observer would be rewarded for her infers that an individual’s
repeat a behaviour. This performance. Henrietta behaviour is a result of
happens due to them would have therefore observational learning. This
observing the model get imitated her behaviour in makes it reductionist.
rewarded for their desire to get the same
behaviour. reward.
Henrietta’s damaged Tateno et al. (2003) found
The prefrontal cortex delays prefrontal cortex would have that aggressive behavior
gratification of impulses. If it led her to being unable to was significantly associated
is damaged our impulses control her responses to with frontal lobe lesions as a
will no longer be controlled frustrating situations. This result of traumatic brain
and we are more likely to can explain why she poured injuries.
act upon them, including the drink at the customer at
aggressive impulses. her work: his comment
would have been triggering.
Therefore damage to it
would cause inability to
control aggressive
responses to threatening
(Biological)
Q. Henrietta has been in trouble for her aggression. She has poured a drink over a
customer after they complained about the service at the restaurant she works at.
Her boss says that if Henrietta is aggressive again to someone at work she will be fired.
Henrietta’s parents have said that she has to look for somewhere else to live after she
threw a book at her younger brother. Her father thinks Henrietta’s aggression is due
to her watching the behaviour of the female lead in a martial arts film. Her mother
thinks that the aggression is due to damage to Henrietta’s prefrontal cortex after she
fell down some stairs.
To what extent do social learning theory and the prefrontal cortex explain Henrietta’s
behaviour?
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
AO1 AO2 AO3
Social learning theory states Since Henrietta and the Bandura, Ross & Ross
that individuals are more female lead in the martial (1961) shows the
likely to imitate observed arts film are of the same importance of similar role
behaviour if they can identify sex, Henrietta would be able models. The children were
with the model. to identify with her and this more likely to imitate
makes her more likely to aggression in a same-sex
imitate the behaviour she role model.
sees.
Vicarious reinforcement Henrietta may have seen SLT does not acknowledge
causes increased likeliness the female lead in the film the influence of free will- it
that an observer would be rewarded for her infers that an individual’s
repeat a behaviour. This performance. Henrietta behaviour is a result of
happens due to them would have therefore observational learning. This
observing the model get imitated her behaviour in makes it reductionist.
rewarded for their desire to get the same
behaviour. reward.
Henrietta’s damaged Tateno et al. (2003) found
The prefrontal cortex delays prefrontal cortex would have that aggressive behavior
gratification of impulses. If it led her to being unable to was significantly associated
is damaged our impulses control her responses to with frontal lobe lesions as a
will no longer be controlled frustrating situations. This result of traumatic brain
and we are more likely to can explain why she poured injuries.
act upon them, including the drink at the customer at
aggressive impulses. her work: his comment
would have been triggering.
Therefore damage to it
would cause inability to
control aggressive
responses to threatening
