Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961)

Question 1

Bandura, Ross and Ross

Answer 1

1. Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961)

2. Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models

Question 2

Background to the study (Bandura)

Answer 2

1. Albert Bandura, Dorothea Ross and Sheila Ross were influenced by previous research that demonstrated that children could learn incidentally through the mere observation of another.
2. They were also interested in sex-appropriate behaviour and punished for sex-inappropriate behaviour
3. For example girls would be rewarded for role-playing housework, but punished for rough-and-tumble play
4. These sex-appropriate behaviours would have been reinforced throughout childhood and therefore children would be more likely to be in the habit of imitating same-sex role model behaviour

Question 3

Aims (Bandura)

Answer 3

1. To see if children would imitate aggression that was role-played by an observed adult
2. The researchers were specifically interested in whether the sex of the role model and sex of the child would be an important factor in whether a child would imitate aggression or not
3. As aggression is considered to be a male behaviour rather than a female one, they were interested to see whether sex influences the likelihood of aggression being imitated

Question 4

Procedure (Bandura)

Answer 4

1. The child was brought into a playroom by the experimenter with the model
2. The model and the child are brought to a corner of the room. The child is shown how to play with potato prints and stickers
3. The model (either female or male) is taken to the other side of the room and the experimenter explained these are the toys that the model is to play with (this was important because it was assumed that if the child later imitated the models behaviour they had learnt the behaviour not from any instruction, but from observation)
4. In the aggressive condition, the model played aggressive with an inflatable bobo-doll (punching it, hitting it etc). They also spoke aggressively to the doll
5. In the non-aggressive condition the model played with construction toys
6. After 10 minutes the experimenter returned. The experimenter and participant said goodbye to the model
7. The participant was brought into a room with lots of attractive toys and were told they could play with the toys
8. When the participant began playing with the toys, they were told by the experimenter they had to stop playing as they were the best toys and for the other children (to instigate mild aggression) however they can play with the toys next door
9. The experimenter and participant then went to the room next door were there was a set of toys in a fixed orderThe experimenter sat in the corner doing “paperwork”
10. The child was left to play by themselves for 20 minutes. They were observed through a one-way mirror on if they displayed aggressive or non-aggressive behaviour.

Question 5

Results (Bandura)

Answer 5

1. Children who were exposed to the aggressive role model, whether male or female, displayed more aggression than the control group exposed to a non-aggressive role model, suggesting that children imitate aggression (both verbal and physical)
2. Boys were far more likely to copy the same-sex aggressive role model in terms of imitating physical aggression than girls
3. However, girls were equally as likely as boys to imitate verbal aggression of a same-sex role model
4. Girls spent significantly more time playing with dolls and a tea set, while boys spent more time with a toy gun.

Question 6

Conclusions (Bandura)

Answer 6

1. The children saw the adult model as a role model so they imitated the observed behaviour. It is likely in the past the children have received reinforcement for behaviour for behaving grown up
2. Children learn through observation in the absence of reinforcement, and provided experimental evidence for social learning theory
3. Children learn aggression from adult role models, particularly if the model was of the same sex as the child
4. This process of imitation occurred with a model unknown to the child, showing that aggression could be easily imitated from any aggressor

Question 7

Strengths to Bandura’s study

Answer 7

1. Researchers were able to control the environments and use a standardised procedure to ensure that all children experienced exactly the same conditions of the experiment. This means that the procedure was replicable and should have resulted in reliable findings.
2. The children were in groups matched in groups according to their normal levels of aggression. This ensures that one group is not naturally more or less aggressive than another group. The results were compared with the child’s normal level of aggression

Question 8

Weaknesses to Bandura’s study

Answer 8

1. Children were tested in an unfamiliar environment and may have guessed the aims of the research. One child said to his mother “That was the adult we were supposed to copy” indicating that they thought they were supposed to copy the model rather than spontaneously act. This is known as demand characteristics
2. The children were deliberately exposed to small levels of aggression and could not predict the long-term effects on behaviour for the child. They can be accused of not protecting the participants involved, presenting ethical issues.