bandura (1961)- transmission of aggression

Question 1

research method

Answer 1

lab exp, independent measures, matched p’s design.
IVs: aggressive or non-aggressive role model, sex of model (male or female) and sex of child (boy or girl)
DV: amount of imitative behaviour and aggression shown by child in phrase 3

p’s were matched through a procedure with pre-rated them for aggressiveness, rated on 4/5 point scales

Question 2

sample

Answer 2

72 children (36 boys and 36 girls) aged 37-69 months.
from stanford university nursery school

Question 3

outline procedure

Answer 3

phase 1- taken to room and sat played with potato print and stickers for 10 mins. while experimenters set up scene
phase 2- all children were taken individually to o an anteroom and subjected to mild aggression arousal. Initially they were allowed to play with
some very attractive toys but after about two minutes the experimenter took the toys away saying they were reserved for other children.
However they could play with any of the toys in the next room.
phase 3- Children were then taken individually into a third room which contained both aggressive and non-aggressive toys eg 3ft high Bobo doll, a
mallet, dart guns and non-aggressive toys eg tea set, cars, dolls. They were observed through a one-way mirror for 20 minutes whilst observers
recorded behaviour (with inter-scorer reliabilities of 0.90 product-moment coefficients) in the following categories:
(i) Imitative aggression (physical, verbal and non-aggressive speech).
(ii) Partially imitative aggression.
(iii) Non-imitative physical and verbal aggression.
(iv) Non-aggressive behaviour

Question 4

conclusions

Answer 4

Children will imitate aggressive/non-aggressive behaviours displayed by adult models, even if the model is not present.
• Children can learn behaviour though observation and imitation.
• Behaviour modelled by male adults has a greater influence on children’s behaviour than behaviour modelled by a female adult.
• Both boys and girls are more likely to learn highly masculine-typed behaviour such as physical aggression from a male adult rather than a
female.
• Boys and girls are likely to learn verbal aggression from a same-sex adult