SLT - The Bobo Doll Experiment (1961)

Question 1

Aim.

Answer 1

To investigate whether aggression can be learned through social learning theory principles.

Question 2

Sample.

Answer 2

72 children (36 male and 36 female) aged between 3 and 6 years old were put into one of 3 groups for 10 minutes.

Question 3

Aggressive model.

Answer 3

The child played in a room while an adult hit and shouted at a ‘Bobo doll’. This group was further sub-divided by the gender of the child and the adult model, creating 4 conditions.

Question 4

Non-aggressive model.

Answer 4

The child played in a room while an adult played quietly with a construction set. Group was further sub-divided once by the general and adult model, creating another 4 conditions.

Question 5

Control group.

Answer 5

Child did not see model.

Question 6

Method.

Answer 6

The children were deliberately frustrated by being taken into another room where they were told that they could not play with any toys. Then, they were placed alone in a room with a range of aggressive toys and non-aggressive toys and the Bobo Doll for 20 mins whilst being observed.

Question 7

Results.

Answer 7

Children who saw the aggressive model produced more aggressive acts than those in either of the other 2 groups. Boys imitated same-sex models more than girls. Girls imitated more physical aggression if they saw male models and more verbal aggression if they saw female models.

Question 8

Conclusion.

Answer 8

Aggressive behaviour can be learned, in children, through observation and imitation of a model.