Psychopathology: Key Studies

Question 1

Bandura: Procedure

Answer 1

• children observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models
• tested for imitative learning in absence of model
• half of children exposed to aggressive adult model with life sized Bobo doll, half exposed to non-aggressive
• aggressive model displayed distinctive physically aggressive acts towards doll eg striking with mallet, verbal aggression

Question 2

Bandura: Findings

Answer 2

• children who observed aggressive model reproduced good deal of physically and verbally aggressive behaviour resembling that of model
• children who observed non-aggressive model exhibited virtually no aggression towards Bobo doll
• about 1/3 children who observed aggressibe model repeated models verbal responses while none in non-aggressive group made verbally aggressive remarks
• in follow up study found that children who saw model being rewarded for aggressive acts were more likely to show high level of aggression