Bandura, Ross and Ross transmission of aggression through imitation of agressive modesl

Question 1

Aim of the study

Answer 1

To investigate how children would imitate aggression that was role played by an observed adult.

Question 2

Procedure of the study

Answer 2

36 girls and 36 boys were used in the experiment and were divided into 8 groups of 6 children with a control group of 24 children.

4 groups were exposed to a aggressive role model and the other four not exposed to a aggressive role model.

A female experimenter would bring the children individually into a room and placed toys. Then the experimenter displayed aggression using the toys through both psychical and verbal means.

but before the child could play with the toys a 2 min cooldown was met so that the intial exposure to agression wouldnt affect them in any way.

The results were recorded as imitative or non immitative by researchers

Question 3

Results of the study

Answer 3

Children who were exposed to the violent role model displayed more aggression than the control group and were shown to imitate both verbal and physical aggression. It was also displayed that children would devise new ways of showing their aggression.

boys were more likely to copy the same sex role model in terms of physical aggression. while girls were equally as likely as boys to imitate verbal aggression.

girls spent more time playing with dolls and tea set while boys played with guns

Question 4

conclusion

Answer 4

Children do learn through observation even without reinforcement which provided evidence for social learning theory. Children were more likely to imitate behaivour of the same sex model and also shows that aggression can be imitated by any agressor.

Question 5

1 strength

Answer 5

Researchers were able to control their environments and used a standardised procedure to ensure all groups experienced the same conditions. This shows its reliable as the results can be replicated

Question 6

1 weakness

Answer 6

Children were tested in a unfamiliar setting and may have guessed the aims of the study. As a child said if they were supposed to copy the adult which suggest that the child could have shown demand characteristics which reduces validity