Core Studies - Developmental Psychology - Bandura’s Study

Question 1

What is social learning theory

Answer 1

The belief that we can learn through observation and imitation of a role model

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Hypothesis 1

Answer 3

Children shown aggressive models will show significantly more imitative aggressive acts resembling those of their model than those shown non-aggressive or no models

Question 4

Hypothesis 2

Answer 4

Boys will show significantly more imitative aggression than girls

Question 5

Hypothesis 3

Answer 5

Children will imitate same-sex model behaviour to a greater degree than opposite sex behaviour

Question 6

Research method

Answer 6

laboratory experiment and observation

Question 7

Experimental design

Answer 7

matched p’s and independent measures design

Question 8

Independent variables

Answer 8

1. The sex of the child (Male/Female)
2. The sex of the model (Male/Female)
3. The behaviour of the model children were exposed to (aggressive/non-aggressive)

Question 9

Dependant variable

Answer 9

The level of aggressive behaviour shown by the children when observed in phase 3

Question 10

Sample

Answer 10

• 72 Children
• Average age of 52 months
• Equal amounts of boys and girls
• Children attending Stanford University Nursery School

Question 11

Sampling method

Answer 11

Opportunity sampling

Question 12

The matching procedure

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

Control through the matching procedure

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Name the 3 phases in the procedure

Answer 14

• Phase 1: The role model
• Phase 2: The arousal
• Phase 3: Observation

Question 15

Phase 1 of procedure

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

What were the standardised behaviours displayed by the aggressive role model (Physical)

Answer 16

• Punching the bobo doll on the nose
• Throwing the bobo doll in the air
• Hitting the bobo doll with the mallet

Question 17

What were the standardised behaviours displayed by the aggressive role model (Verbal)

Answer 17

• ‘Pow!’
• ‘Sock him in the nose!’
• ‘Kick him!’

Question 18

What behaviour was displayed by the non-aggressive model

Answer 18

• In non agg condition the role model would ignore the bobo doll and play with the child for 10 minutes

Question 19

How many times was the set routine repeated

Answer 19

3 times for each child

Question 20

What happened when children first entered the room

Answer 20

• 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

Question 21

When did the role models start displaying behaviours appropriate for the experimental condition

Answer 21

After 1 minute of being in the room

Question 22

Did children in the control group experience the 1st phase

Answer 22

No

Question 23

Phase 2 of procedure

Answer 23

• All 72 Children went into this room
• The children were taken into a room filled with attractive toys such as a fire engine and a colourful spinning top
• The experimenter explained that the toys were for the children to play with but as soon as the child became involved in playing with the toys, the experimenter then took the toys away saying they were reserved for other children

Question 24

Phase 3 of procedure

Answer 24

• This room contained toys of an aggressive and non aggressive nature
• The child was allowed to play for 20 mins and was observed without their knowledge through a one way mirror by the male model and another observer in 5 second intervals
• The observers used a double blind design and the female experimenter stayed in the room with the child but to avoid distraction kept themselves busy with paperwork

Question 25

What type of sampling was used to observe the children’s behaviour

Answer 25

Time sampling

Question 26

What are the disadvantages of the type of sampling used to observe the children’s behaviour

Answer 26

• Behaviours can be missed in between the observing periods
• This decreases internal validity as not all behaviour is being collected

Question 27

What design was used by experimenters as a control when observing children’s behaviour

Answer 27

A double blind design

Question 28

Why was a double blind design used when observing children’s behaviour

Answer 28

• To remove potential bias
• Observers may look out for certain behaviours if they know which experimental condition each child is in and miss other behaviours due to bias

Question 29

Results (Hypothesis 1)

Answer 29

The children in the aggressive condition showed significantly more imitation of physical and verbal aggressive behaviour than the children in the non-aggressive or control conditions

Question 30

Results (Hypothesis 2)

Answer 30

Overall boys produced more imitative physical aggression than girls

Question 31

Results (Hypothesis 3)

Answer 31

The overall results also appeared to show that the male model was more influential over both the boys and girls than the female model

Question 32

Qualitative results

Answer 32

• Often confusion about the female role as it seemed that children felt that it was not appropriate for the model to act in such an aggressive way
• In phase 1, children were reported to have said ‘Who is that lady? That’s not the way for a lady to behave, ladies are supposed to act like ladies
• Children seemed to simply accept the aggressiveness of the male model more easily saying things like ‘He’s a good fighter like daddy’

Question 33

Conclusion 1

Answer 33

Aggression is learned through observing role models. Bandura suggests that if a child sees an adult behave aggressively it legitimizes the behaviour, so the child will assume that aggressive behaviour is acceptable

Question 34

Conclusion 2

Answer 34

Children will imitate aggressive/non-aggressive behaviours displayed by adult models, even if the model is not present

Question 35

Key finding

Answer 35

Children in aggressive model condition are more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour

Question 36

Link to Key Theme

Answer 36

This finding demonstrates that the external influence of an adult role model can lead to the imitation of aggressive behaviour among children, showing that external influences can have a negative impact on a child’s behaviour

Question 37

Link to Area

Answer 37

This shows that a change in the children’s experience in the environment is what causes the development of aggressive behaviour