Bandura et al (1961) - SLT Flashcards
What were the aims of Bandura et al. (1961)?
Bandura was interested in whether children were more likely to aggress having observed aggression.
Also whether they selectively imitated same-sex models and whether boys were more prone to aggression overall (compared to girls).
What was the procedure of Bandura et al (1961)? (experiment type, sample, iv dv…. the 3 groups, group matching…. the 3 stages/steps of the study)
A lab experiment with matched pairs design
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Sample of 36 boys and 36 girls (aged 3-6 years)
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Independent variable
=> modelling of aggression, sex of the model (i.e, same as observer or different).
Depended variable
=> level of the child’s aggression.
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Children were allocated to one of three conditions.
1. Aggression group (observed an aggressive model being violent to a bobo doll)
2. Non-aggressive group (observed a non-aggressive model assembling toys)
3. Control group (no model)
Each group had:
- an equal number of boys and girls (to control gender differences).
- Equally aggressive children in each group (based on teacher ratings, to control another potentially confounding variable).
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Step 1: child brought into room with observation window
Step 2: taken into another room where they were deliberately annoyed (here are toys… but not for you…)
Step 3: then taken into room with toys including bobo (behaviour observed)
What were the findings of Bandura et al (1961)? (findings for each group, who showed more agrgression)
Aggressive role model group showed a lot of verbal and physical aggression that resembled the models behaviour.
Little aggression in Non-Aggressive Model group. 70% had a score of zero for aggression.
Children from the Non-Aggressive Model condition spent the most time sitting quietly.
In general, a male role model had a bigger influence than a female role model: the aggressive male model produced more aggression; the non-aggressive male model produced more calm.
What were the conclusions of Bandura et al (1961)? (overall, when is imitation most likely)
Social behaviour can be acquired through the observation of models (imitation).
Imitation is more likely when the modelled behaviour is gender specific (e.g. physical aggression in males), and when the model and observer are the same gender.
What is a strength of Bandura et al (1961)? (hint: good experimental design - matched…)
A strength of Bandura et al (1961) is its clever experimental deign.
Children in each condition were matched on aggression which minimalises the individual differences of it - a potentially confounding variable.
This means that the degree of experimental control enhanced the internal validity of the study, so we can be reasonably sure that the observed aggression really was from imitation.
What is a weakness of Bandura et al (1961)? (hint: artificial!)
A weakness of Bandura et al (1961) is that it was conducted under artificial conditions.
The experiment was conducted in a lab with a scripted situation of model-aggression. This is different to the typical situation in which a child might experience aggression.
This means that the experimental procedure lacks external validity - we cannot be sure if the results generalise to a real world situation.
What is an application of Bandura et al (1961)? (hint: shows risks aggression imposes onto children)
An application of Bandura et al (1961) is that it has shaped social policy.
As a result of Bandura’s study, psychologists and social workers have a better understanding of the risks of a child developing around an aggressive model (like an aggressive parent).
This is because Bandura suggests that the child will imitate the behaviour. This application is important as it demonstrates the significance of good role models and a safe household.
