Social leaning theory : Bandura et al. (1961)

Question 1

Aims

Answer 1

-Bandura et al. were interested in whether children were more likely to aggress having observed aggression, whether they selectively imitated same-sex models and whether boys were more prone overall to acquiring aggressive behaviour.

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

-A lab experiment with matched pairs design

-Sample- 36 boys and 36 girls (3-6 years)

• Independent variables= modelling of aggression, sex of model and same/different sec model/observer. Dependent variable= level of Childs aggression.

Children were randomly allocated to one of three conditions. Each group had equal numbers of boys and girls (to control gender) and equally aggressive children (based on teacher ratings, to control other potential cofounding variable):

• AGGRESSION GROUP- observed aggressive adult model (male or female) punching, kicking, shouting at ‘Bobo’ doll.

-NON-AGGRESSION group

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

-Children who witnessed the aggressive model were likely to completely or partially imitate their aggression.

-Children who had observed non-aggressive behaviour or had not observed an adult displayed much less aggression (none in 70% of cases).

• Children in the aggression group were also slightly more likely to engage in non-imitative aggression.

-Boys were more likely to imitate aggression shown by same-sex model than an opposite-sex model and more likely overall to imitate physical aggression (though not verbal aggression).