Bandura et al - Paper 2

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

Investigate social learning theory in terms of aggressive behaviour

Question 2

Hypotheses

Answer 2

Children shown aggressive models will show more aggressive behaviours than those shown non-aggressive or no models
Children shown non-aggressive models with show less aggressive behaviour than those shown aggressive or no models
Boys will show more aggressive behaviour than girls
Children will imitate same sex model behaviour more than opposite sex model behaviour

Question 3

IV/DV

Answer 3

IVs - whether the ppt saw an aggressive, non-aggressive or no model in phase 1
sex of the child
sex of the model
DV - amount of imitative or partly imitative aggressive behaviour displayed by ppt
Could be verbal or physical
Noted every five seconds

Question 4

Sample

Answer 4

72 children - 36 boys, 36 girls
Mean age 52 months
Taken from Stanford University Nursery
Pre-rated on aggression - used to match ppts

Question 5

Procedure - phase 1

Answer 5

Children taken into a room to play at a table while the model sat at another table assembling a tinker toy set
In the aggressive condition, after about a minute they began verbally and physically attacking Bobo in a standardised way for ten minutes
In the non-aggressive condition, the model just sat assembling the toy
The control group didn’t take part in this phase

Question 6

Procedure - phase 2

Answer 6

Children taken individually to another room and initially allowed to play with appealing toys
After around 2 mins the toys were taken away as they were “reserved for other children” but they were told they could play with the toys in the next room
The point of this was aggression arousal

Question 7

Procedure - phase 3

Answer 7

Children then taken to a room with aggressive and non-aggressive toys
ie tea set, cars dolls vs Bobo doll, mallet, dart guns
Observed through a one way mirror for 20 mins on:
imitative aggression
partially imitative aggression
non-imitative physical and verbal aggression
non-aggressive behaviour

Question 8

Findings

Answer 8

Children in the aggressive condition showed significantly more imitative aggression
Children in the aggressive condition showed more non-imitative aggression but this was not always significant
Children in the non-aggressive group were the least aggressive
Boys imitated male models more for physical and verbal aggression, non-imitative aggression and gunplay
Girls imitated female models more for verbal aggression and non-imitative aggression
Boys were more aggressive than girls

Question 9

Conclusions

Answer 9

Children will imitate aggressive/non-aggressive behaviours displayed by adult models even when the model is not present
Children can learn behaviour by observation and imitation
Boys and girls are more likely to learn masculine typed aggressive behaviours from a male model rather than female
Boys and girls are likely to learn verbal aggression from a same sex adult