Bandura et al.'s learning core study on aggression

Question 1

Assumptions of the learning approach and how they relate to this core study

Answer 1

Learning trough observation, imitation and modelling. Bandura conducted this study to determine whether a child would imitate aggressive behaviour if he or she witnessed such behaviour in an adult.

Question 2

The psychology that is being investigated

Answer 2

social learning theory: four stages of learning:
- Attention: observers must be paying attention to the behavior of the model.
- Retention: observers must store what they observed in their long term memory
- Reproduction: observers must replicate or choose not to replicate the behavior
- Motivation: if observers experience vicarious reinforcement, they are much more likely to replicate the behavior

Question 3

The background

Answer 3

Measuring children’s tendency to imitate adult behavior, specifically in the absence of the model, and gender specific models.

Question 4

The Aim

Answer 4

Investigate observational learning of aggression:
1. To see if children would replicate aggressive behavior in the absence of the model
2. Look for gender differences in learning aggression.

Question 5

The procedures in modelling behaviour

Answer 5

room 1
* brought indivudaly to room had meet model in the hall and invited to play
* child in one corner designed picture with prints and stickers
* researcher took model to other corner wit a toy set, mallet and 5 ft bobo doll
* non-aggrsive model plaed with tinker toys ignoring bobo
* aggresive played with tinker and then proceed to sit, punch and hit bobo
* included verbal agression
* about 10 mins

Question 6

Verbal agression words said

Answer 6

• “pow”
• “throw him in the air”

Question 7

Procedure in agression arousal

Answer 7

Room 2

• child taken to a room with attractive toys
• Child played with them for 2 minutes but then told they could not and they were reserved for other children

Question 8

State 3 of the attrative toys in the agression arousal phase

Answer 8

• fire-engine
• complete doll set
• jet fighter plane

Question 9

the procedure used to ‘test for delayed imitation’.

Answer 9

• There were a variety of toys in the (experimental) room.
• The child spent 20 minutes in the (experimental) room.
• Behaviour was observed through a one-way mirror by 2 observers
• The session was divided into 5 second intervals.
• A total of 240 response units were recorded per participant.

Question 10

State the 3 types of aggression recorded in the delay for imitation room

Answer 10

• imitative agression
• non-imitative agression
• partially imitative agression

Question 11

what was the inter-rater reliabilty result

Answer 11

.90

Question 12

Aggresive Toys in the Test for delay imitation room

Answer 12

• 3ft bobo doll
• mallet
• 2 dart guns

Question 13

non-aggressive Toys in the Test for delay imitation room

Answer 13

• crayons
• dolls
• teddy bears

Question 14

The research method used

Answer 14

Main - experimental
(observations)

Question 15

The number of participants and where they are from

Answer 15

• 72
• 36 male & female
• from stanford unversity nursery

Question 16

Outline the conditions

Answer 16

• 8 conditions + control group
• children were match for their agression levels (avoid confounding variable)
• Nursery and research rated 51 of the children on a 0-5 scale on aggresion levels

Question 17

The sampling method used

Answer 17

opportunity

Question 18

The experimental design used

Answer 18

independent groups
matched pairs

Question 19

The controls used

Answer 19

• same toys in rooms 2 and 3
• same amount of time in each stage

Question 20

Data collection method used

Answer 20

• a behavior checklist
• included mallet aggrssion and sits on bobo

Question 21

Independent and dependent variables used

Answer 21

Independent
* Gender of the children

Dependent

• levels of agression

Question 22

Ethical issues

Answer 22

• children did not leave in the same physical or psycholgical state they entered with.
• Showed agressive behaviour and could have continued after the study

Question 23

Results

Quantitative/qualitative data & how it is represented and interpeted

Answer 23

Quanitiatve data recorded through a behavioural checklist

Question 24

Conclusion Drawn

Answer 24

• Witnessing an aggressive act is enough to produce aggression in the person who
  observed it
• Boys are more likely to imitate aggression compared to girls
• Children who see aggressive models are more likely to imitate aggression that
  those seeing no model

Question 25

Strengths
Methodological issues:

Reserach method, reliabilty,validty,generalibily,& control of variables

Answer 25

• reliabilty beacause of standerdized procedure included time ps spent watching modeland layout of the room.
• Internal validty as controls were high for each group including time watched the model. Insure IV is affecting the DV

Question 26

Weakness
Methodological Issues

Reserach method, reliabilty,validty,generalibily,& control of variables

Answer 26

• generlizabilty only 6 children were used in each individual IV group, low generalizability.
• lack of mundane realism, participants were asked to partake in and observe tasks that are nothing like real life.

Question 27

Everyday Life

The issues of application of psychology and how it realtes to the study

Answer 27

• Children can be shown TV where role modles are kind and helpful and popular as a result. Bandura found aggression is boserved and imitates, pro-social behvaiour can also be learned this way.

Question 28

Individual and Situational explanations debate

how it relates to the study

Answer 28

: this study supports the situational side of the debate as the situation that the children found themselves in caused the imitated aggressive behaviour.

Question 29

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

how it relates to the study

Answer 29

: this study supports the situational side of the debate as the situation that the children found themselves in caused the imitated aggressive behaviour.

Question 30

Use of children in psychological

How it realtes to the core study

Answer 30

less susceptible to demand characteristics however could become more aggressive after this study.because of psychological harm by witniessing high levels of agresion and frustration with no playing with the “best toys”