Bandura (1961)

• What was the aim of Bandura's study?

  To investigate whether aggressive behaviour could be acquired through the observation of aggressive role models
• What was the sample of Bandura's study?

  > 72 children (36 boys + 36 girls)

  > Opportunity sampling

  > Stanford University Nursery school

  > Mean age was 4
• Describe the experimental design?

  > Matched pairs

  > All children rated on 5 point scales for all aggression types (e.g. verbal and physical)

  > Matched for aggression to ensure the aggression in each group was similar ( 24 aggressive role model, 24 non-aggressive role model and 24 control group )
• What did stage one of Bandura's study involve?

  > Brought into a room, with an observation window, sat at a table

  > Room had high interest activities and a bobo doll in the corner

  > Lasted 10 minutes

  > Some played aggressively with the bobo doll, others played with potato prints
• What did stage two of Bandura's study involve?

  > Subjected to mild aggression arousal

  > Told they had special toys that other children couldn't have
• What did stage three of Bandura's study involve?

  > Variety of non-aggressive toys (e.g. cars) and aggressive toys (e.g. bobo doll)

  > Time sampling by two judges through a one way mirror

  - 5 second intervals , 240 response units per child

  > Observers looked at;

  - Imitation of physical aggression

  - Imitation of verbal aggression

  - Imitation of non-aggressive verbal responses
• What was Bandura's results?

  > Children in aggressive model condition made more aggressive responses

  > Boys in aggressive condition made more aggressive responses if the model was male with 25.8 aggressive acts

  > Girls showed more aggressive verbal aggression responses if the model was female; 5.5 aggressive acts if the model was female compared to 7.2 if the model was male

  > The average male aggressive model was 16.5

  > The average female aggressive model was 8.95
• What was Bandura's conclusion?

  > If a child is exposed to an aggressive role model, they are likely to imitate their behaviour

  > Boys are more likely to imitate the same sex role model (compared to girls)
• What are the strengths of Bandura 1961?

  > Matched pairs; reduces participant variables, no pre-existing aggression, internal validity

  > Standardised procedure, reliability

  > Useful applications, social workers, understanding risks of childrens aggression
• What are the weaknesses of Bandura 1961?

  > Population validity, generalisability

  > Artifical setting, ecological validity

  > Ethics, young children, psychological state