Bandura: External Influences on Children's behaviour (Developmental) Flashcards
What theory was Bandura’s study based on?
Social Learning Theory
How was Bandura’s study influenced by Social Learning Theory?
According to SLT, aggressive behaviours are learned through reinforcement and the imitation of aggressive ‘models’. Imitation is the reproduction of learning through observation.
What background was there to Bandura’s study?
-Previous research has shown that children will readily imitate behaviour demonstrated by an adult model if the model remains present
-Little was known about the behaviour displayed by the model may be imitated when the model is no longer present
What was the aim of Bandura’s study?
To demonstrate that learning can occur through mere observation of a model and that imitation of learned behaviour can occur in the absence of that model.
What were the four hypotheses of Bandura’s study?
-Children shown aggressive models will show significantly more imitative aggressive acts resembling those of their models than those shown non-aggressive or no models
-Children shown non-aggressive, subdued models will show significantly less aggressive behaviour than those shown aggressive or no models.
-Boys will show significantly more imitative aggression than girls
-Children will imitate same sex model behaviour to a greater degree than opposite sex behaviour
What was the research method and design for Bandura’s study?
It was a laboratory experiment which used an independent measures, matched participants design.
What were the IVs in Bandura’s study?
-Whether the child witnesses an aggressive or a non aggressive adult model in the first phase (a control group was not exposed to an adult model)
-The sex of the model
-The sex of the child
What was the DV in Bandura’s study?
The amoutn of imitative behaviour and aggression shown by the child in phase three, measured by the male model and, at times, a second researcher observing each child through a one way mirror and noting down at 5 second intervals: displays of imitative aggressive responses, partially imitative responses, and/or non-aggressive imitative aggressive responses
What was the sample for Bandura’s study?
-72 children (36 boys, 36 girls)
-Aged 27-69 months (mean 52 months)
-From Stanford University Nursery School
How was the experimental design used in Bandura’s study?
-Participants were matched through a procedure which rated them for aggressiveness. They were rated on four five-point rating scales by the experimenter and a nursery school teacher, both of whom were well acquainted with the children. These scales measured the extent to which the participants displayed physical aggression, verbal aggression towards inanimate objects, and aggressive inhibition. Based on these scores, participants were arranged in triplets and randomly assigned to one of the two experimental groups or to the control group. Each child was only exposed to one condition of the IV
What happened in phase 1 of Bandura’s study?
- Children in the experimental conditions were individually taken into a room and sat at a table to play with potato print and pricture stickers for 10 minutes whilst:
- the aggressive model began by assembling a tinker toy set but after about a minute turned to a
Bobo doll and spent the remainder of the period physically and verbally being aggressive toward it using a standardised procedure
-The non-aggressive model assembled the tinker toy in a quiet subdued manner, totally ignoring the Bobo doll
-The control group did not participate in Phase 1
What happened in Phase 2 of Bandura’s study?
All the children were then taken individually taken to an anteroom and subjected to mild aggression arousal. Initially they were allowed to play with some very attractive toys but after about 2 minutes the experimenter took the toys away saying they were reserved for other children. However they could play with any of the toys in the next room.
What happened in phase 3 of Bandura’s study?
-Children were then taken individually into a third room which contained both aggressive and non-aggressive toys including a Bobo doll.
-They were observed through a one way mirror for 20 minutes whilst observers recorded behaviour in the following categories:
-imitative aggression, partially imitative aggression, non imitative physical and verbal aggression, and non aggressive behaviour.
What were the key findings from Bandura’s study?
-Children in the aggressive condition showed significantly more imitation of physical and verbal aggressive behaviour and non-aggressive verbal responses than the children in the non-aggressive or control conditions
-Children in the aggressive condition also showed more partial imitation and non-imitative physical and verbal aggression
-Children in the non-aggressive condition showed very little aggresion, although results were not always significantly less than the control group
-Boys imitated male models more than girls for physical and verbal aggression, non imitative aggression, and gun play
-Girls imitated female models more than boys for verbal imitative aggression and non-imitative aggression. However results were not significant
-The behaviour of the male model exerted greater influence than the female model
-Overall boys produced more imitative physical aggression than girls
What possible conclusions can be drawn from Bandura’s study?
-Children will imitate aggressive/non aggressive behaviour displayed by adult models, even if the model is not present
-Children can learn behaviour through observation and imitation
-Behaviour modelled by male adults has a greater influence on children’s behaviour than behaviour modelled by a female adult
-Both boys and girls are more likely to learn highly masculine-typed behaviour such as physical aggression from a male adult rather than a female
-Boys and girls are likely to learn verbal aggression from a same-sex adult
