Bandura 1961

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

• To demonstrate whether children would imitate aggressive behavior as observed in adults
• To investigate whether children imitate same-sex models more than opposite-sex models

Question 2

Method

Answer 2

Participants: 36 boys and 35 girls aged 37-69 months (mean age: 52 months)
Independent samples design
**IV: **Aggressive behavior of model and sex of model
DV: Number of imitated aggressive acts
Conditions:
* Children were divided into groups based on gender and model’s gender
* Each group had equal numbers of children pre-tested for aggression and matched accordingly

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

Stage 1: Child and model in playroom, model acts aggressively or non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll.
Stage 2: Mild aggression arousal by restricting access to attractive toys.
Stage 3: Child observed in a room with aggressive and non-aggressive toys for 20 minutes, behaviors recorded every 5 seconds through a one-way mirror.

Question 4

Findings

Answer 4

• Children exposed to the aggressive model displayed more aggressive acts than the children exposed to the non-aggressive model
• Boys exhibited more aggressive acts than girls
• Boys showed more aggression with a male model; Girls showed more verbal aggression with a female model but more physical aggression with a male model
• Children imitated both verbal and physical aggression from the models
  The exception: In punching the Bobo doll, the gender effects were reversed.

Question 5

Conclusion

Answer 5

Social behavior can be acquired through limitations or models, modelled behavior is gendered-typical behaviour & when the model is of the same gender.