Immersive simulation games have been proposed to have a significant impact on real-world attitudes and behaviours. The specific goals and actions of virtual avatars can lead to cognitive changes that influence how players behave immediately after the game.
To investigate this, researchers recruited 80 young adults (aged 18 to 25). The participants were randomly allocated to one of two conditions in a high-fidelity computer simulation:
After 25 minutes of play, participants were thanked and given a plastic bottle of water as a participation gift. As they left the laboratory, they had to walk past two clearly marked bins: one for recycling plastics and one for general landfill waste. Researchers covertly recorded whether participants chose to recycle the plastic bottle or throw it in the general waste bin.
Explain how useful social learning theory could be in accounting for the findings of the "Eco-Restorer vs Industrial-Polluter" study.
205 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Psychology Content, covering Main features of classical conditioning, Pavlov (1927) salivation in dogs, Main features of operant conditioning, Properties of reinforcement, Behaviour modification and shaping, Main features of social learning theory, Social learning stages, Bandura (1961, 1963) Bobo doll experiments, Bandura (1965) vicarious reinforcement, Learning theories and phobias, Treatments for phobias, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.