Bandura (1961) Original Study

• Aim of Bandura (1961)

  To investigate whether young children imitate behaviour they have seen
• Hypotheses Of Bandura (1961)

  1. Children show aggressive models will show more imitative aggressive behaviour than those shown non-aggressive or no-models
  2. Children show non-aggressive, subdued models will show less aggressive behaviour than those shown in aggressive or no models
  3. . Children would imitate behaviour of same sex model more than model of opposite sex, with boys showing more imitative aggression than girls, especially with male aggressive model
• Procedure of Bandura (1961) - Conditions

  Gender of model

  Gender of ppt/child

  Condition of model (agg, non-agg, control)
• Procedure of Bandura (1961) - rooms

  Model room (adult pushed, sat and punched bobo doll- “sock him on the nose”)

  Arousal room -told toys for other children= frustrated emotional state for all

  Observation room (20 mins per child, behaviour recorded every 5 seconds, 2 observers- male model and independant blind to child's condition)
• Procedure of Bandura (1961) - observations

  The child was observed playing with the toys for 20 minutes through a one-way mirror.

  The observers recorded three measures of imitation including:

  • Imitations of physical aggression (sat on bobo doll, punched bobo doll, hit bobo doll with mallet, kicked bobo doll)

  • Imitations of verbal aggression (‘Sock him on the nose…’ ‘hit him down…’ ‘throw him in the air… ‘kick him…’)

  • Imitations of non-aggressive verbal responses

  DV= Imitative aggressive responses

  Partially imitatie aggressive responses 

  Non-imitative aggressive responses 

  (physical and verbal)
• Findings of Bandura (1961)

  Children in non-aggressive state showed almost no aggression, (70%).

  Those that watched aggressive models showed physical and verbal aggression imitating model.
• Sample of Bandura (1961)

  72 children aged 3 to 5 from a nursery at Stanford university
• Conclusions of Bandura (1961)

  Children watching adults behaving aggressively are more likely to imitate aggression so observational learning does take place. Children also imitated non-aggressive behaviour, which led to less aggression.  A male adult showing aggressive behaviour is copied more than a female adult aggressive model.  Girls are more verbally aggressive.