Bandura Bobo Doll Aggression Study PDF

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Bandura Bobo Doll Aggression Study...

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Bobo Doll Aggression Study (1961): Albert Bandura Background: Founder of the social learning theory, Bandura and his associates wanted to prove that aggression is learned through modeling and imitating of others. Methodology: Bandura used young children divided into various groups where each was exposed individually to various models. The aggressive model punched a Bobo doll in a room and then escorted the child to another room filled with toys. He then measured the aggressiveness tendencies of each child depending upon which model it had seen.  population – Stanford University Nursery School  sample selection – 36 boys, 36 girls (3-6 years old)  independent variable – behavior of model (OD: kicking, punching, verbally abusing doll, etc.)  dependent variable –behavior of child (OD: kicking, punching, throwing the Bobo doll, verbal aggression “Sock him” “Hit him down”, hitting objects with the mallet, aggression not performed by the model)  random assignment – 24 were assigned to the control group of which there was no model, 24 to an aggressive model, and 24 to a nonaggressive model. Each group was further divided into girls and boys and then exposed to same-sex and opposite-sex models. (8 experimental, 1 control)

 potential confounding variables – aggressiveness tendencies of each child, how easily each child got frustrated, family history of child Results: Bandura found that 1) children tended to imitate violent behavior 2) nonaggressive behavior had a violence-inhibiting effect 3) behavior is influenced more by a same sex model. He also found that boys were more likely to imitate physical aggression while girls verbal aggression Discussion: They demonstrated how specific behaviors can be learned through observing and imitating others without any sort of reinforcement. Furthermore, boys are much more strongly influenced by the behavior of other men than women. Critique: strengths – found that violence is mostly learned, stressed importance of good role models in society. weaknesses – selection bias (all from Stanford Nursery), unclear history of participants Relevance/Applications: This study highlighted the importance of good role models in society as it was proven that violent behavior is learned. Further studies regarding the influence of television showed similar results, yet also found that modeled violence can be altered if reinforcement is added. Ethical Issues: The children did not give informed consent nor were they debriefed. Violent tendencies learned through the experiment may have stayed permanently.

Gender/Cross-Cultural Issues: Boys were found to be much more strongly influenced by a male model than female. Furthermore, boys displayed more physical violent tendencies while girls verbal....