Bandura 1963 Flashcards
1
Q
Aims
A
- investigate whether observing aggressive behaviour via different mediums (live vs. filmed) would influence the imitation of aggression in children.
- aimed to test if the mode of presentation (live model, filmed model, or cartoon) had different effects.
2
Q
Participants
A
- 96 children
(48 boys and 48 girls),
aged 3–6 years.
3
Q
Four groups
A
- Live aggression: Watched a live adult physically and verbally attack a Bobo doll.
Filmed aggression: Watched a video of the adult doing the same. - Cartoon aggression: Watched a cartoon cat behave aggressively.
- Control group: Saw no aggression.
4
Q
Procedure
A
- After exposure, the children were taken to a room with a Bobo doll and observed for 20 minutes through a one-way mirror.
- Researchers recorded instances of imitative aggression.
5
Q
Results
A
- All three experimental groups showed significantly more aggression than the control group.
- The filmed aggression and live aggression groups showed similar levels of imitative aggression.
- The cartoon group also imitated aggression, but to a slightly lesser extent.
- Boys were generally more aggressive than girls, especially in physical aggression.
6
Q
Conclusions
A
- Children will imitate aggressive behaviour even when it is observed indirectly (e.g. via film or cartoons).
- Media exposure to aggression can influence children’s behaviour similarly to real-life observation.
- Supports Social Learning Theory — particularly the role of vicarious reinforcement and the observational learning process.
7
Q
Generalisability
A
P- Limited
E- Sample only included young children from one nursery (Stanford University), limiting generalisability to older individuals or other cultural groups.
E- Not applicable to all
8
Q
Reliability
A
- Highly controlled, replicable experiment — standardised models, identical toys, and observation method = high reliability.
9
Q
Application
A
- Watershed TV 9pm regulation point
10
Q
Validity
A
- Low ecological validity – the setting was artificial, and a Bobo doll is not a realistic target for aggression.
11
Q
Ethics
A
- Raises ethical issues – children were exposed to aggressive models without clear debriefing or consideration of long-term effects on their behavior.
