Bandura's Studies

Question 1

What was the aim of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 1

To investigate whether exposure to a real life aggressive model increases aggression in children

Question 2

Describe the sample of Bandura (1961)

Answer 2

72 children enrolled at Stanford University Nursery school (36 male, 36 female)

They ranged in age from 37-69 months, with a mean age of 52 months.

Question 3

Describe the models used in Bandura (1961)

Answer 3

Two adults (1 male, 1 female)

Question 4

Describe the conditions of bandura (1961)

Answer 4

Ppts were divided into 8 experimental groups (6 ppts in each) and 1 control group (24 ppts)

The children in the experimental groups watched either an aggressive or non-aggressive model of the same or different sex.

The children in the control did not experience a model.

The children in all groups were matched for physical and verbal aggression from rating from the experimenter and nursery

Question 5

What happened after the ppts had seen the models in Bandura (1961)?

Answer 5

After they saw the model for the 10 minutes (different behaviours depending on conditions), the children were taken to another room and given toys to play with that were taken away after 2 minutes.

They were then taken to the final room where they could play with both aggressive (3 foot bobo doll, mallet dart gun) and non-aggressive toys (tea set, crayons, plastic farm animals). They could play for 20 minutes while being observed through a one-way mirror by 2 researchers.

Question 6

What did the model do in the aggressive conditions of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 6

Children were individually brought into room by experimenter, who invited the model in.

Child was placed in corner at a small table where they were shown how to design a picture.

Model was taken to the opposite corner to a table that had a tinker toy, a mallet and a 5 foot bobo doll.

The model played with the tinker toy for 1 minute, then acted aggressively to the bobo doll for 9 minutes (acts such as sitting on it, punching the nose, hitting its head with the mallet, throwing it in the air)

In between these behaviours, verbal statements were used such as “sock him on the nose!” “pow!” and “throw him in the air!”

Question 7

What did the model do in the non-aggressive conditions of bandura (1961)?

Answer 7

Children were individually brought into room by experimenter, who invited the model in.

Child was placed in corner at a small table where they were shown how to design a picture.
Model was taken to the opposite corner to a table that had a tinker toy, a mallet and a 5 foot bobo doll.

The model sat and played quietly with the tinker toys and ignored the bobo doll.

Question 8

How was behaviour observed in Bandura (1961)?

Answer 8

Behaviour was observed at regular intervals and were scored according to 3 types of imitative behaviour they displayed. (Imitation of physical aggression, Imitation of verbal aggression and Imitative non-aggressive verbal responses).

Bandura also noted other categories of behaviour such as mallet aggression, non-imitative physical and verbal aggression, and aggressive gun play.

Question 9

What were the results of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 9

Overall, children exposed to an aggressive model displayed significantly more direct imitation than children exposed to a non-aggressive model.

Both boys and girls displayed more non-imitative aggression after an aggressive role model. This was stronger when watching the same sex model.

The most aggressive group was male children who watched an aggressive male.
The least aggressive group was female children who watched a non-aggressive male model.

Overall, watching an aggressive model had more of an effect on boys than girls, and male models were copied most by male children.

Question 10

What was the conclusion of Bandura (1961)?

Answer 10

Children given the opportunity to observe an aggressive model later reproduced a goo deal of physical and verbal aggression that they had observed the model performing. This relates to new behaviour the children wouldn’t have seen before.

The male models had a greater influence on behaviour than the female models.

Question 11

What was the aim of Bandura (1963)?

Answer 11

To investigate whether a filmed model would have the same effects as a live model on children’s aggression.

To investigate whether cartoon aggression would have a similar impact to realistic filmed aggression.

Question 12

Describe the sample of Bandura (1963)?

Answer 12

96 children (48 male, 48 female) enrolled at Stanford University Nursery School

Between 39 and 69 months old

Question 13

Describe the models from Bandura (1963)?

Answer 13

2 role models (1 male, 1 female)

Question 14

Describe the conditions of Bandura (1963)

Answer 14

3 experimental groups and 1 control group

The 3 experimental groups all saw aggression in different ways:
- live aggression role model
- human on film being aggressive
- cartoon character (cat) being aggressive

In each experimental group, half saw a same sex role model and half saw the opposite sex role model

Question 15

What happened in the real life aggressive role model condition in Bandura (1963)?

Answer 15

Ppts were tested for aggression individually.
Then taken to a corner of a room and shown how to design pictures.

Role model came in to the opposite corner, assembled a tinker toy for 1 minutes and then was aggressive to bobo doll for 9 minutes.

Question 16

What happened in the human film aggressive role model condition in Bandura (1963)?

Answer 16

Ppts were taken into a semi-darkened play room, shown how to make potato prints pictures and told there would be a movie.
The movie started when the experimenter left the room and lasted for 10 minutes.

The movie showed the same models playing with the tinker toy for 1 minutes and being aggressive to the bobo doll for 9 minutes.

Question 17

What happened in the cartoon aggressive role model condition in Bandura (1963)?

Answer 17

Ppts were taken into a semi-darkened play room, shown how to make potato prints pictures and told there would be a movie.
The movie started when the experimenter left the room and lasted for 10 minutes.

The movie showed the female role model dressed as a black cat playing with the tinker toy for 1 minutes and being aggressive to the bobo doll for 9 minutes. There was music in the background and the cat spoke in a high pitched voice.

Question 18

What happened after the ppts had seen the models in Bandura (1963)?

Answer 18

After they saw the model for the 10 minutes (different behaviours depending on conditions), the children were taken to another room and given toys to play with that were taken away after 2 minutes.

They were then taken to the final room where they could play with both aggressive (3 foot bobo doll, mallet dart gun) and non-aggressive toys (tea set, crayons, plastic farm animals). They could play for 20 minutes while being observed through a one-way mirror by 2 researchers.

Question 19

What were the results of Bandura (1963)?

Answer 19

There were significant differences between aggressive conditions compared to control group.

There was no significant differences between the different aggressive conditions.

Boys behaved more aggressive in general but showed less imitative aggression.

Girls showed more imitative aggression with a real life female model.

Question 20

What was the conclusions of Bandura (1963)?

Answer 20

That seeing aggression in the media, increases aggression in children.

Children who saw aggression on film were nearly twice as aggressive as the control group.

Question 21

What were the aims of Bandura (1965)?

Answer 21

To see if reinforcing an aggressive model would result in an increase in the imitation of aggression.

To see if punishing an aggressive role model would lead to a reduction in the imitation of aggression

To see if giving an aggressive role model reinforcement would decrease the differences between boys and girls when imitating aggression.

Question 22

Describe the sample of Bandura (1965)

Answer 22

66 children (33 male, 33 female) enrolled at Stanford University Nursery school

Aged between 42 and 71 months

Question 23

Describe the models used in Bandura (1965)

Answer 23

2 adult males

Question 24

Describe the conditions used in Bandura (1965)?

Answer 24

3 groups (11 boys and 11 girls in each)

Model Rewarded condition
Model Punished condition
Control group

Question 25

What was the procedure of Bandura (1965)?

Answer 25

Children brought individually to a semi-darkened room, the experimenter then said she had to do something and so they could watch a TV programme.

They then watched a 5 minute film with an adult being aggressive to a bobo doll.
They laid it on its side, sat on it and punched it on the nose while saying “Pow, right in the nose, boom, boom”.
They then raised it up and hit it on the head with a mallet whilst saying “Sockeroo … stay down”.
Then they kicked it around the room saying “fly away” .
Then threw rubber balls while saying “bang”.
This sequence was repeated twice.

The final scene of the film was slightly different for each condition.

All children were then taken individually into a room filled with toys including those seen on the film. The children were observed for 10 minutes, through a one way mirror.

Their behaviour was noted down every 5 seconds and neither observer knew which condition the child was in.

After this 10 minutes, the experimenter re-entered the room and gave the child some juice and told that for every act they copied they would get a sticker and some juice.
The children were then asked to show them what happened in the film.

Question 26

What happened in the model rewarded condition in Bandura (1965)?

Answer 26

A second adult gave the role model a can of 7up, some food including chocolate popcorn and sweets, and said the model was a “strong champion”

Question 27

What happened in the model punished condition in Bandura (1965)?

Answer 27

A second adult entered the toom shaking his finger menacingly, and said “Hey there, you big bully. You quit picking on that clown. I won’t tolerate it”.
As the model drew back, he tripped and fell, and then the second adult sat on the model and spanked him with a rolled up magazine.
The model than ran off, whilst the second adult said “If I catch you doing that again, you big bully, I’ll give you a hard spanking. You quit acting that way”

Question 28

What happened in the control group in Bandura (1965)?

Answer 28

Nothing happened to the model at the end of the film

Question 29

What were the results of Bandura (1965)?

Answer 29

The children who saw the model reinforced showed significantly more aggression than the group who saw the model punished, with boys showing significantly more aggression than girls.

When offered an incentive to copy the behaviour there was no difference between any of the groups and the amount of aggressive acts they imitated.

Question 30

What were the conclusions of Bandura (1965)?

Answer 30

The reinforcements given to the model affected whether the models behaviour would be imitated or not, but it did not affect the learning of that behaviour.

More exposure to a model is not enough for imitation or observational learning to occur, otherwise some children would have imitated all behaviours shown by the model.

Punishment of a role model means the behaviour is less likely to be imitated.