Bandura et al.

PSYCH INVESTIGATED

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY Suggests that individuals observe and imitate behaviour of those they identify with. To do this, individuals need to be motivated and physically capable, believing in rewards. Imitation can be immediate or delayed. 

AGGRESSION Study explored delayed imitation of physical & verbal A, focusing on inanimate objects, highlighting the importance in inhibiting aggression and promoting self-regulation. 

BACKGROUND: PREVIOUS STUDIES 

Previous research on A revealed that children imitated a model's behaviour in a new setting, highlighting the importance of imitation in behavioural development. IMITATION OF AGGRESSION Bandura's study exposed children to A and N-A models, predicting that those exposed to an A model would exhibit different behaviour than those exposed to a N-A model, suggesting that this pattern can apply to adults. 

N-A model: Exposure to a N-A model can significantly reduce A behaviour in children. 

Sex of the model: Research suggests that parents tend to reinforce ' sex-appropriate' behaviour in children, leading to a tendency for them to imitate same-sex models more frequently. They propose that boys are likelier to imitate M models, while girls are likelier to imitate F models. 

AIMS 

• To investigate if children imitate the A of a model in the absence of the model.
• To investigate if children are more likely to imitate the behaviour of a same-sex model.

 HYPOTHESES 

1. Observed A behaviour will be imitated.
2. Observed N-A behaviour will be imitated.
3. Children are more likely to copy a same-sex model.
4. Boys will be more likely to copy A than girls.

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 

Experiment; A, N-A and no model in a controlled setting. Behaviour observed through a one-way mirror in a controlled, covert, structured observation. 

DESIGN AND VARIABLES 

Ps matched on previous A levels; rated by nursery teacher and experimenter on 4 5pt scales: physical and verbal A, A towards inanimate objects and A inhibition. Based on scores, Ps were randomly assigned to a group. 

IVs: model-type: A or N-A model 

• model-gender: whether the model is the same gender as the child or not.
• learner-gender: whether the child was a boy or girl. 

DV: Child’s behaviour, measured by controlled observation.

SAMPLE 

Opportunity sampling; 72 children at Stanford University nursery, 24 in each condition, 12M & 12F in each, 6 saw a M model and 6 saw F model. 37-69 months, mean age 52 months. 

PROCEDURE

EXPERIMENTAL CONDITION 

P brought to a room full of toys, seated at a corner table by the experimenter who showed them how to make pictures with potato prints. Multicoloured picture stickers were also given [children shown to be very interested in these]. Then, the experimenter took the model to another corner with a table, chair, tinker toy set [construction set], mallet and an inflatable Bobo doll before leaving the room. 

N-A CONDITION 

Model played quietly with tinker toys, ignored bobo doll. 

A CONDITION

After a minute of playing w tinker toys, model was A towards doll for 9 mins. The same actions in the same sequence took place: laid Bobo doll on the side, sat on it and punched its nose. Then it was lifted and hit in the head with a mallet. Then, throwing it in the air and kicking it around the room w A comments. Sequence was repeated thrice. After 10 minutes, the experimenter came and told the Ps they were being taken to a game room. 

A AROUSAL 

Before the imitation test, Ps were taken to a game room to induce mild A arousal. The room featured attractive toys like fire engines, trains, fighter planes, and a spinning top. However, when the toys were reserved for other children, Ps entered a state of frustration. The P was then taken into the adjoining experimental room. 

TEST FOR DELAYED IMITATION 

The experimental room had many toys including the ones from the model rooms. A toys: 2 dart guns, mallet. N-A: Bobo doll, tea set, crayons and paper, a ball, 2 dolls, 3 bears, vehicles and plastic farm animals. They were all in a fixed position.

RESPONSE MEASURES 

Imitative physical A Imitative verbal A  

• Hitting with mallet
• Sitting and punching on nose
• Kicking
• Tossing in air
• ‘Sock him in the nose…’
• ‘Hit him down…’
• ‘Throw him in the air…’
• ‘Kick him…’
• ‘Pow…’

  Imitative N-A verbal responses:  

• ‘He keeps coming back for more’
• ‘He sure is a tough fella.’

 In a pre-test, it was found that some kids only partially imitated the model’s behaviour; 2 more categories of partially imitative behaviour included: 

• Mallet A: striking something other than the Bobo doll with a mallet.
• Sits on Bobo doll: putting the Bobo doll on its side and sitting on it N-Aggressively.

 3 N-I A acts also recorded: 

• Punches Bobo doll: hitting, slapping/pushing Aly.
• N-I physical & verbal A: any A acts/words that weren’t performed by the model, like “Shoot the Bobo” or “Stupid ball”.
• A gun play: shooting darts or firing imaginary gunshots at objects.

 No of times a P played N-Aggressively/sat quietly also recorded. 

RESULTS

COMPLETE IMITATION OF THE MODEL’S BEHAVIOUR 

Ps in A model condition showed more physical & verbal A than N-A and control groups. 1/3 of Ps in A model condition imitated the N-A comments, which didn’t happen w other groups. 

PARTIAL IMITATION OF MODELS’ BEHAVIOUR 

N-A modelà partially imitative mallet A [girls]. N-I A Being in the A model condition didn’t increase the incidence of N-I A, such as A gunplay or punching the Bobo doll. 

SEX OF P/MODEL 

• Boys more likely to imitate physical A than girls
• Girls slightly more likely to imitate verbal A than boys
• M model had greater effect on Ps’ behaviour; Ps who saw N-A M model showed significantly less physical, verbal, mallet and N-I A than control.

 SAME-SEX MODELS 

• Children imitated same sex models more
• Boys who saw A M models showed the most A [25.8]
• Girls were verbally A and showed more N-I A w a F model.

 N-A BEHAVIOUR  

• Girls spent more time with dolls, tea set and colouring; boys spent more time with guns.
• Ps w N-A model spent more time playing with dolls quietly than other 2 groups
• Ps w N-A model spent more than twice as much time sitting quietly.

 CONCLUSIONS 

• Observing an A modelàimitated A
• Boys more likely to imitate same sex models than girls
• Boys more likely to imitate physical A, girlsà verbal.
• M models more likely to be imitated.

 ETHICAL ISSUES: PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM 

Weakness: 1/3 of Ps saw and imitated A. This could continue till after the study ended. 

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES

RELIABILITY

Standardisation Strength: procedure and instructions, layout of toys, observation time [20 mins], behavioural checklist used to record behaviour every 5 seconds were all the same.

 Inter-observer reliability 

Strength: high inter-observer reliability; in half the trials, 2 observers recorded Ps’ behaviour on the checklist. When the results were compared, the correlations were always in the +0.90s, à high consistency of categorising behaviours. 

Inter-rater reliability 

Strength: strong inter-rater reliability bw researcher and teachers for A scores. Correlation score: +0.89, à high consistency in how kids were rated on A scales.

VALIDITY

Matched Aggression scores

 Strength: Ps matched by previous A levels [rated by teacher and experimenter on 4 5pt rating scales on physical, verbal A, A towards inanimate objects and A inhibition]. Ps randomly assigned to diff conditions in trios using scores. Only 2 stooges Weakness: only 1 stooge in M & F conditions; may have been imitated bc of a unique feature and not bc of their sex. 

OBJECTIVITY AND SUBJECTIVITY

QUANTITATIVE DATA 

Strength: Behavioural checklist to collect data on A acts in children, allowing comparison of A levels across different models without bias, enhancing validity. 

INSIDE INFO 

Weakness: Main observer was the M model, so bc he knew which kids were in the M model condition, he could have subjective interpretation of children's behaviour thus may reduce the validity of the data, as he may have expected certain behaviours based on previous experiences. 

SINGLE BLIND 

Strength: main observer didn’t know which condition each kid was in where he wasn’t the model; à higher objectivity bc any sims or diff bw F conditions aren’t bc of researcher bias.

 GENERALISATION AND ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY

GENERALISING BEYOND THE SAMPLE

 Weakness: The validity of the findings may be compromised by the socioeconomic background of the children, as they were from a prestigious university nursery, and their learning experiences may have differed from others. 

GENERALISING TO EVERYDAY LIFE 

Weakness: The study presented an unusual set-up for children, where they could imitate A behaviour towards toys such as Bobo dolls, which are designed to bounce back, and did not differentiate between play fighting and real-life violence. 

ISSUES AND DEBATES

USING KIDS IN RESEARCH 

Weakness: The study's validity is compromised due to the vulnerability of young children aged 37-69 months to demand characteristics, potentially leading to ethical issues and potential psychological harm due to long-term after-effects of exposure to an A model. 

APPLICATIONS TO EVERYDAY LIFE 

TV warnings The study highlights the potential for children to imitate A behaviour, necessitating television networks to consider censoring or warnings about A content, while producers ensure N-A characters and minimal content.

Parents 

Parents should expose their children to positive role models, such as friendly Ms, to reduce A behaviour and promote prosocial behaviour. 

LINKS TO ASSUMPTIONS 

Children were likely to imitate the behaviour of an A model, showing that we learn through the process of social learning.