Bandura 1961 - content study Flashcards
What was his aim?
To investigate whether aggression can be learned?
What was the sample?
72 participants ( 36 female and 36 males) age 3-5, all taken from the same nursery
- Original aggression levels were measured and they were split evenly into 3 groups.
What was the procedure?
Each child was individually exposed to each model. In the first room the model began to beat the bobo doll with quotes like “sock him In the nose” “pow”. In the second room the children were free to play with the toys but after two minutes they were taken off them, In the third room, the children were being observed through a two way mirror for 20 minutes.
What were the results?
- boys showed 25.8 acts of aggression when they saw the aggressive male role model compared to 1.5
- male children showed 25.8 acts of aggression compared to girls showing 12.4 acts of aggression
What was the conclusion?
Boys are more physically aggressive
How is it generalisable?
Large sample size of 72 including males and females so the sample is not androcentric or gynocentric.
OTOH- all children were form the same nursery, shared characteristics, reduces generalisability
How is It reliable?
Standardised procedure, same methods if aggression, same toys and the use of 2 way mirror, can be easily repeated, increases reliability
How is it applicable?
Influences role models ( parents and teachers)not to argue or be aggressive infant of their children so that the aggression is not imitated.
OTOH- blames aggression on parents- socially sensitive
How is it valid?
The natural level of aggression of each child was determined by the nursery teacher who knew them well, reduces aggression levels as an extraneous variable, increases validity
OTOH- lacks ecological validity as the playroom was made for the purpose of the experiment eg. one way mirror
