Core Studies - Developmental Psychology - Bandura’s Study Flashcards
What is social learning theory
The belief that we can learn through observation and imitation of a role model
Aim
To demonstrate that learning can occur through mere observation of a role model and that imitation of learned behaviour can occur even in the absence of a model
Hypothesis 1
Children shown aggressive models will show significantly more imitative aggressive acts resembling those of their model than those shown non-aggressive or no models
Hypothesis 2
Boys will show significantly more imitative aggression than girls
Hypothesis 3
Children will imitate same-sex model behaviour to a greater degree than opposite sex behaviour
Research method
laboratory experiment and observation
Experimental design
matched p’s and independent measures design
Independent variables
- The sex of the child (Male/Female)
- The sex of the model (Male/Female)
- The behaviour of the model children were exposed to (aggressive/non-aggressive)
Dependant variable
The level of aggressive behaviour shown by the children when observed in phase 3
Sample
- 72 Children
- Average age of 52 months
- Equal amounts of boys and girls
- Children attending Stanford University Nursery School
Sampling method
Opportunity sampling
The matching procedure
- Nursery school teacher and female experimenter watched the children and rated aggression on a 5-point scale
- 4 scales measured the extent of physical and verbal aggression as well as aggression towards inanimate objects and aggression inhibition and an overall score was determined
- Children were then arranged into triplets and then assigned at random
Control through the matching procedure
- Children were pre-rated for their levels of aggression by their nursery school teacher and the female experimenter who observed them in the playground
- Both were well acquainted with the children
Name the 3 phases in the procedure
- Phase 1: The role model
- Phase 2: The arousal
- Phase 3: Observation
Phase 1 of procedure
- Children in the control group did not experience the first phase
- Children led to a room with the experimenter on their own and started playing with craft toys together
- Some toys in the room included a mallet and a bobo doll
- After 1 minute, the experimenter would turn to the bobo doll and spent the remainder of the time being either aggressive or non-aggressive towards it
- In agg condition the role model performed standardised aggressive behaviour, both physical and verbal
- This set routine was repeated three times for each child
- In non agg condition the role model would ignore the bobo doll and play with the child for 10 minutes