Bandura Flashcards
Before Bandura what was believed?
if you watch aggression it makes you less aggressive
what are the aims for Bandura’s research?
-To investigate whether children imitate role models even when they are no longer present.
-To investigate whether children are more likely to imitate the aggressive behaviour of the same sex models or opposite-sex models.
What was Benjamin’s procedure?
-72 children, aged between three and six years old (mean age 4 years, observed an adult model behaving either aggressively or non aggressively towards a bobo doll.
-children were divided into groups, initially by whether they would watch an aggressive or non-aggressive model, then further divided based on
their gender, and whether they would watch a same sex or opposite sex model.
-model was in a room with the Bobo doll, a hammer and various toys.
-One by one participants watched the model’s behaviour for ten minutes from the opposite corner of the room. The model, besides physically punching and kicking the doll, would also shout abuse, such as ‘Punch him on the nose’ and. ‘Pow.
-The participants then had a delay (retention) before finally being allowed to go into a room with toys including a Bobo doll, toy guns, and farm sets, i.e. both aggressive and non-aggressive toys.
Researchers observed the children for twenty minutes. Their behaviour was rated on a scale for aggression by multiple observers and inter-rater reliability was found.
What were the findings?
• Children who observed an adult being aggressive were more likely to imitate the aggressive behaviour than children who didn’t observe aggressive behaviour.
• Children were more likely to imitate the behaviour of the adult with the same gender.
• Boys were more likely to imitate the aggressive behaviour of the adult than the girls.
what were the conclusions?
Observing aggressive role models can lead to aggressive behaviour being imitated. Imitation is more likely if an observer identifies with the role model. Imitation can be seen even after a delay from the learning.
(don’t include words participants or conditions)
