Bandura et. al. (1961) (Aggression in Children) Flashcards
What was the aim of the study?
To investigate whether a child would learn aggression by observing a model and reproduce this behavior in the absence of the model, and whether the sex of the role model was important.
What were the four hypotheses of the study?
- Observed aggressive behavior will be imitated. 2. Observed non-aggressive behavior will be imitated. 3. Children are more likely to copy a same-sex model. 4. Boys will be more likely to copy aggression than girls.
What is imitative learning?
Learning a new behavior through observing a role model and imitating it later in the absence of the model.
What research method was used?
A laboratory experiment with controlled situations.
What research design was implemented?
An independent measures design with a matched participants design where children were divided into 3 groups based on their initial levels of aggression.
What were the independent variables in the study?
- Model-type: aggressive or non-aggressive model 2. Model-gender: whether the model was the same gender as the child or not 3. Learner-gender: whether the child was a boy or girl.
What was the dependent variable?
The behavior displayed by the child, measured through a controlled observation.
What was the sample size and selection method?
72 children (36 boys and 36 girls) aged 3-6 years from Stanford University nursery, selected using opportunity sampling.
How was aggression measured before the experiment?
Children were rated on 4 five-point scales measuring physical aggression, verbal aggression, aggression to inanimate objects, and anxiety.
How was inter-rater reliability ensured?
51 children were rated by two observers, and similar ratings were produced, ensuring inter-rater reliability.
What was the purpose of the control group?
To provide a baseline comparison by including 12 boys and 12 girls who did not observe a model.
How were children grouped in the experimental conditions?
Children were divided equally by sex between aggressive and non-aggressive model groups, and within those, between same-sex and opposite-sex models.
What did the aggressive model do?
Assembled the toy for one minute, then attacked the Bobo doll, repeating an aggressive sequence 3 times for 9 minutes, making comments like ‘Kick him.’
What did the non-aggressive model do?
Assembled the Tinkertoy set for 10 minutes without showing aggression.
What happened in the control condition?
Children did not see any model.
How were children deliberately annoyed before observation?
They were allowed to play with toys but were told after 2 minutes that the toys were reserved for other children and taken away.
For how long were children observed, and how was their behavior recorded?
Children were observed for 20 minutes through a one-way mirror, with behavior recorded in 5-second intervals.
What was the inter-rater reliability score for observations?
0.89
What were the main results of the study?
Children exposed to aggressive models imitated their exact behavior and were significantly more aggressive than those in other groups.
What gender differences were found in imitation?
Boys imitated more physical aggression than girls, while girls were more likely to imitate verbal aggression.
What were the average imitation scores for boys and girls with male models?
Boys imitated an average of 25.8, while girls imitated 7.2.
What were the average imitation scores for boys and girls with female models?
Boys imitated an average of 12.4, while girls imitated 5.5.
What were the key conclusions of the study?
- Observation and imitation cause behavior to be learned without reinforcement. 2. Observed aggressive behaviors are imitated. 3. Observed non-aggressive behaviors are imitated. 4. Children are more likely to copy a same-sex model. 5. Boys are more likely to copy aggression than girls.
What were the strengths of the study?
- Laboratory setting controlled extraneous variables. 2. High inter-rater reliability ensured accurate data collection. 3. Children were unaware of being observed, reducing demand characteristics.
What were the weaknesses of the study?
- Small sample size, all from the same nursery, limiting generalizability. 2. Possible demand characteristics as children might have felt expected to imitate. 3. A longitudinal study would have better assessed behavior durability.
What ethical concerns were raised by the study?
- Possible psychological harm as children were exposed to aggression. 2. Children were deliberately annoyed, causing distress. 3. Lack of parental consent, as only the headteacher was informed.
How does the study apply to everyday life?
It suggests that exposure to aggression in real life or media influences children’s behavior, particularly in boys.
How does the study relate to the nature vs. nurture debate?
Boys imitated more aggression possibly due to testosterone (nature) but also due to learned male stereotypes (nurture).
How does the study relate to individual vs. situational explanations of behavior?
Situational factors (modeling) influenced imitation, but individual factors (gender and societal reinforcement) influenced the extent of imitation.
