The social learning theory, also known as observational learning, basic principle is that we imitate the behavior we see in the media. This theory became prominent by the classic Bobo doll experiment conducted by Albert Bandura. The experiment proved the effects of viewing violence had on children, specifically preschoolers. During the experiment three groups of children watched a film about an adult attacking a doll with three different outcomes. Group-A saw the doll being hit with no reinforcement. Group-B witnessed the adult being rewarded after attacking the doll, while group-C watched the adult being punished after the attack. After viewing the film, the children were given the same doll they just witnessed being attacked. Groups A and B were far more aggressive towards the doll than group-C.
The Bobo doll experiment proposes we learn by observing the behavior and the outcome from that particular behavior.
Bobo Experiment Link
Focusing on films, lets apply the social learning theory to our current society that is bombarded with gangster movies, one man action renegade flicks, and overall utter male dominance. "Be a man" it seems as I have heard this phrase a thousand times growing up, but what does it mean? As a boy, I remember watching such classics as The Godfather, Rambo, and The Terminator with my friends. We idolized Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone, and of course Arnold Schwarzenegger, these guys were not just men but "manly men." As kids, we may not have been able to get a crime boss "wacked" or shoot hundreds of people with a gun bigger than our bodies but the persona of what it meant to be a man was being instilled in us as well as millions of other teenage boys.
The documentary Tough Guise really opened my eyes to how our society views masculinity, that is in order to be a guy you have to be tough. In nearly all action movies masculinity is associated with violence, whether it's a "hero" plotting his revenge or a villain causing complete havoc. In reflection towards films, when a crime such as domestic violence is reported by the media the gender is hardly ever stated. This gives the impression that male violence is perceived as normal. Masculinity driven movies that young men flock to theaters to see, teach us the path to becoming a "manly man." In order to be tough, you need power. In order to get power, you need to dominate your surroundings and you must dominate your surroundings by violence.
Compilation of "manly man" movies here
The social learning theory also explains our own personal media behaviors. The theory states that our expectations of media is based off previous outcomes of behavior. Everybody can relate to this type of influence. Personally, this concept applies to my interest in J.J. Abrams films. I vividly remember my feelings of excitement the first time I watched Cloverfield and the anticipation I had for the remake of Star Trek. I am already counting down the days until Super 8, a film created by Abrams and Steven Spielberg is released. Since my experiences with J.J. Abrams films has been positive, his next film attracts me as a viewer. This theory can also be applied to the avoidance of media. Simply stating, we choose not to watch certain media because of a negative behavior we previous experienced. This is the very reason I am reluctant to watch Michael Bay films! After watching Friday the 13th and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen., I am convinced this man relies on boobs and special effects without even attempting to tell a decent fictional narrative.
YAY!
BOO!
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