Developmental area-Bandura

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

Behaviourists suggest that all behaviours can be explained in terms of imitation from environment

Bandura developed social learning theory based on behaviourist principles, suggesting people can learn through observation or adult role models whose behaviour they imitate

Question 2

4 aims of the study

Answer 2

1) subjects exposed to aggressive role model reproduce aggressive acts resembling those of role model
2) observation Of nonaggression have inhibiting effect on subjects behaviour
3) imitation of same sex model will be a greater degree than opposite sex
4) boys more predisposed than girls towards imitating behaviour

Question 3

Research method

Answer 3

Lab experiment

Question 4

Sample

Answer 4

72 children from Stanford nursery school aged from 37-69 months
36 Boys & 36 gals

Question 5

Pre-testing

Answer 5

To control for natural aggression children were rated on five point scales by experimenter and nursery teacher. Measured on:
Physical aggression, verbal aggression, aggression towards inanimate objects and aggression not shown when provoked

Question 6

What was the correlation co-efficient achieved

Answer 6

0.89

High which suggests a high level of inter-rater reliability between two observers (ratings consistent)

Question 7

Experimental design

Answer 7

Matched groups- order effects avoided as they only do it once
-participant variables not a problem as they’re matched

Question 8

How were the children divided into groups

Answer 8

Aggressive model- female & male (6 boys &6 girls in each)
Non aggressive model- female & male (6 boys&6girls in each)
Control- no model(12 girls & 12 boys)

Question 9

Stage 1 of procedure (10 mins)

Answer 9

Aggressive model condition- each child taken to table and given toys like potato printing and stickers. Model sat at another table with tinker toys & a Bobo doll and mallet. The model played with the tinker toy for 1 minute then played with Bobo doll in aggressive manner and said things like “kick him”

Non-aggressive model- each child taken to table and given toys including potato printing and stickers. Model had tinker toys and Bobo doll, but ignored Bobo doll.

Control group- no exposure to adult models

Question 10

Stage 2 of procedure(2 minutes)

Answer 10

Aggression arousal- child taken to another room full of colourful toys. After 2 minutes the child is told they are for another child, annoying the children

Question 11

Stage 3 of procedure

Answer 11

Test for delayed imitation-
New toys were given to them- aggressive ones like Bobo doll and non aggressive like toy animals
Behaviour of child recorded every 5 seconds, each child has 240 observations. Was recorded by experimenter, researcher behind one way mirror and model who was watching behind mirror

Question 12

Controls

Answer 12

Timing in Each room
Toys same
Same models

Question 13

Why was a no aggressive model needed as well as control

Answer 13

To compare and show children also imitate nonAggressive behaviour

Question 14

Why were children studied individualy rather than a group

Answer 14

Because children copy & imitate each other

Question 15

Findings

Answer 15

Boys more physically aggressive and girls more verbally aggressive.
Imitation of verbal acts- aggressive female model: 13.7 for girls and 4.3 for Boys
- aggressive male model: 2.0 for girls and 12.7 for girls. (Shows imitation of same sex model)
Non agressive model inhibits amount of aggressive behaviour shown

Question 16

Qualitative findings

Answer 16

Recorded comments made by the children- “sock him”

Question 17

Conclusions

Answer 17

Aggression can be transmitted through observation and imitation
Seeing adults act in a certain way means children think it’s ok to act the same way
Girls more comfortable with verbal aggression because physical aggression is unladylike

Question 18

Ethnocentrism

Answer 18

Only applied to one uni in one area

American children often exposed to violence of guns etc

Question 19

Ethics

Answer 19

Deception- researchers pretended to do work in room but were observing
Confidentiality- video released
Debriefing- told aggressive behaviour was pretend
Protection from harm- distressed by aggressive behaviour
Consent- parents gave consent but not children

Question 20

Internal reliability

Answer 20

Lots of controls so easily repeated

Question 21

External reliability

Answer 21

72 children ages 37-69 months

Question 22

Internal validity

Answer 22

Low because children measured at diff times of day

High because same toys used meaning differences in toys wouldn’t lead to aggression change

Question 23

Ecological validity

Answer 23

Children put in strange situation exposed to unusual adult behaviour playing with unusual random toys

Question 24

Population validity

Answer 24

Can only generalise one age group- not ages 5-18

Representative of girls and boys as there was even amount of both

Question 25

How does it link to developmental area

Answer 25

Investigates how environment around children can affect their behaviours, for example how an adult model can influence how aggressive children are and how children Imitate behaviour