Bandura experiment (classic study) Flashcards
Background of this study
Previous research showed children would imitate a role model’s behaviour when present which was the common belief at the time
Previous behaviourist theories on conditioning: first to focus on social learning theory
How does this study link to behaviourism?
Because of the belief that children behave due to interactions w the environment. Eg observe role model and then imitate them (social learning theory)
Aim of study
To see whether children imitated behaviour of an adult role model, (when role model not present) in a controlled environment
And factors would affect imitation: sex of role model, sex of child
What factors of the role model might affect children’s imitation of them?
Their gender, if they are of the same gender of the child
Or if the role model is displaying gender stereotypical behaviour
4 hypotheses
Seeing aggressive behaviour of role model causes imitation of similar aggressive acts
Observing non aggressive behaviour of role model inhibits child’s aggression
Children imitates same sex role model more
Boys show more aggression than girls
Sample
72 children aged 3-5
36 girls
36 boys
Where did the study occur?
At Stanford university’s nursery USA
Sample method
Opportunity sample of using the 72 children who happened to be present at university’s nursery
Which experimental design was used?
Matched participant design
How was the study matched participant design?
Because it included a pre test on the children’s base level of aggression to control this and ensure each condition had both aggressive and non aggressive children
How was the pre testing carried out?
Nursery teacher and experimenter observed children and ranked them on different types of aggression with a total score
Put into groups of 3 with same aggression rating
How was the pretesting used to determine the conditions of experiment?
1 from trio saw aggressive model
1 saw non aggressive mode
1 saw no model (control)
Strength of pre testing
Inter rather reliability of 0.89: ensure observations were reliable thus consistent matching
Conditions within AGGRESSIVE model condition
6 boys saw male model
6 girls saw male model
6 boys saw female model
6 girls saw female model
Conditions within no model condition
12 girls
And 12 boys
Conditions within NON AGGRESSIVE model condition
6 boys saw male model
6 girls saw male model
6 boys saw female model
6 girls saw female model
All whom were non aggressive
What was the physical aggression like for boys who saw an aggressive male model?
25.8 displays of physical aggression
What was the physical aggression like for girls who saw an aggressive male model?
7.2 displays of physical aggression
What was physical aggression like for boys who saw non aggressive male model?
1.5 displayed physical aggression
What was physical aggression like for girls who saw non aggressive male model?
0.0
No display of physical aggression
Control group aggression between girls and boys
1.2 girls displayed physical aggression compared to 2 boys
Stage 1 of procedure
Children in each room individually and played with toys. Dependent on the condition of role model (or no role model) they’d observe this for 10 mins
What would the aggressive role model do?
Had a standardised procedure of aggressive acts eg:
Hit bobo with mallet
Throw in air
Repeatedly punch it
What would non aggressive model do?
Quietly play with tinker toys and ignore bobo doll
Stage 2 of procedure
Mild aggression arousal, where children were taken into room with high interest toys but then forbidden to play with them after 2 mins
Why did researchers want to cause aggression arousal?
Cos Previous research suggested seeing aggression inhibits immediate aggression
So any if the aggression learnt from model would be shown
Or if despite going through this, children who saw non aggression model inhibited aggression, would confirm the models influence
Stage 3
Children were allowed into a different room with toys + bobo doll and observed by people in a 2 way mirror to see if they imitated aggression at bobo doll
What were the possible aggressive toys?
Dart guns
Ball hanging from the ceiling
Mallet
What did the researchers aim to observe in stage 3?
Imitative physical/verbal aggression of model
Partial imitative aggression
New type of aggression not imitative
No aggression (inhibition)
What were the timings for observation in stage 3?
Observe for 20 mins and record behaviour every 5 seconds
= 240 total reports
Using time sampling
Conclusion and result for imitative aggression
Children who saw model were more likely to show aggression
Boys who saw aggressive male model showed 25.8 physical aggression compared to girls who saw same aggression male model showing 7.2 physical aggression
Results and conclusion based on imitation of same sex model
Mean number of boys who displayed physical aggression was 25.8 seeing aggressive male model compared to 12.4 in aggressive female model
= more likely to imitate same sex
Conclusion and results for gender roles affecting the model
Observing male aggressive model for both genders of the children caused high physical aggression than observing female aggressive model
Imitation more likely based on what’s stereotypically associated w genders
Shown by qualitative data
Qualitative data after seeing aggressive female model
‘That girl was just acting like a man’
‘That ain’t no way for a lady to behave’
Qualitative data after seeing aggressive make model
‘He’s a good fighter like daddy’
‘He beat up bobo. I want to sock like [him]’
What was controlled in this experiment?
Same actions and phrases of aggressive model
Time spent in each room
Same location
Same aggression arousal stage
Same male or female model
Same layout and type of toys
Why was the actions of the aggressive model against the bobo doll standardised?
Because children were being observed, wanted to ensure children were acting aggressively because they were imitating these specific actions
Reliability strengths
Replicable because actions of model were standardised
Inter rated reliability check of 0.89 to ensure consistent matching in pre test
Standardised for all participants: all had same experience
Weaknesses of reliability
Per condition, the sample is not large enough to prove a consistent effect across target population (6 children per condition once put into groups
Strengths of sample method
Opportunity = quick and convenient for researcher
Weaknesses or sample method
Biased sample because only gathered from Stanford Uni so doesn’t represent children of different social backgrounds ie not children of a prestigious uni
Strengths of population validity
Occurred in a University which is more likely to have diversity in terms of cultural backgrounds
Mix of genders
Weaknesses of population validity
Uses children from Stanford Uni nursery suggesting they are of upper class so doesn’t not represent lower classes
Strengths of ecological validity
Children used to playing with toys in a nursery = represents real life
Weaknesses of ecological validity
Not a normal event to be alone in a room with a stranger who starts beating up a bobo doll = not as realistic
Strengths of construct validity
Controlled variables to ensure extraneous variables didn’t affect DV and were measured instead eg if the layout of room could have caused more aggression if it differed (?)
Matched Ps design = controlled P variables: so children previously aggressive wouldnt by chance end in one condition and bias results
Specific model actions to ensure Ps were actually imitating model: stylised aggression and not previously learnt
Weren’t aware of study so acted naturally
Strengths (ethnocentrism) in this study
From a University nursery so may have more diversity in cultures
Weaknesses (ethnocentrism) in the study
Only gathered from Stanford Uni, other cultures outside of the USA (even Stanford) may act differently and other countries, eg differences in cultures in how they respond to role models
Weaknesses of construct validity
No test was followed up to see if learned behaviour had long term affects so may not be accurate in a measure of long term impact witnessing aggression has on children, the dependent variable
Strengths of ethics
Informed consent = teachers consented on their behalf
Confidentiality kept
Weaknesses of ethics
Deception = children weren’t told the aim of the study
Harm = mild aggressive arousal may knock childrens self confidence if told they’re not special enough for toys
Nature vs nurture debate
Falls into both! Nurture = influences of the environment in this case observation of role model effect behaviour (imitation of aggression). Behaviour is learnt. Acceptance towards male aggression could explain gender difference, shown in qualitative data collected
Nature = boys had higher aggression than girls due to differences in testosterone?
How does this show free will
The fact that there were differences caused by gender of role model eg less imitative physical aggressive acts when the model is male show some cognitive process behind when to show aggression: we are not always determined to show aggression when put in a situation
