Bandura (Developmental)

Question 1

Bandura Aim

Answer 1

To investigate if social behaviours (aggressions) can be acquired by observation and imitation

Question 2

Banduras Sample

Answer 2

72 children aged 3-6 years. There were 36 boys and 36 girls obtained from the Stanford University Nursery. The sampling method used was opportunity sampling

Question 3

Bandura Procedure

Answer 3

Stage 1) Modelling:
In the experimental conditions children were individually shown into a room containing toys and played with some potato prints and pictures in a corner for 10 minutes while either
- 24 children watched a male or female model behave aggressive towards a toy
- 24 children were exposed to a non-aggressive model who played in a quiet and subdued manner for 10 minutes
- final 24 children were used as a control group and were not exposed to any model at all

Stage 2) Aggression Arousal:
All the children were subjected to “mild aggression arousal”. Each child was taken (alone) to a room with attractive toys. As soon as the child played with the toy the experimenter told the child that these were the experimenters very best toys and she had decided to reserve them for the other children

Stage 3) Test for Delayed Imitation:
- the next room contained aggressive toys and non-aggressive toys
- the child was in the room for 20 minutes and their behaviour was observed and rated through a one way mirror. Observations were made at 5-second intervals

Question 4

Banduras Results

Answer 4

Children exposed to aggressive models imitated their exact behaviour and they were significantly more aggressive than the children in other groups. Imitation was greater for boys than girls. Boys were more likely to imitate physical aggression and girls were more likely to imitate verbal aggression

Question 5

Bandura Conclusions

Answer 5

Bobo doll experiment demonstrated that children are able to learn social behaviour such as aggression through the process of observation learning, through watching the behaviour of another person

Question 6

Banduras Evaluation

Answer 6

1. Experiments are the only means by which cause and effect can be established
2. It allows for precise control of variables and many variables were controlled such as the gender of model
3. Experiments can be replicated and standardised procedure and instructions were used allowing it for replicability