According to social learning theory, what can reinforce aggressive behavior?

Social learning theory, developed by Albert Bandura, posits that behaviors are learned through observation and imitation of others, as well as through the reinforcement of those behaviors. In the context of aggressive behavior, experiencing rewards associated with aggression serves as a strong reinforcer. When individuals observe that aggressive actions lead to positive outcomes—such as gaining power, resources, or social approval—they are more likely to replicate those behaviors.

For instance, if a child sees that a peer gets what they want (like a toy or attention) by acting aggressively, they may learn to imitate that aggressive behavior in similar situations, believing it will yield the same rewarding outcome. This concept highlights the importance of reinforcement in learning, where the consequences of a behavior significantly influence the likelihood of that behavior being repeated in the future.

Other options do not provide the same reinforcement for aggression; social praise for non-aggressive behavior promotes a different set of actions, punishment discourages aggression, and ignoring aggression may not address the behavior or its reinforcement effectively.