Core study 9- Bandura (D)

Question 1

Which theory is the basis of the background of the study?

Answer 1

Social learning theory- observe role models= vicarious reinforcement and likely chance of imitation

Question 2

What was the aim of Bandura’s study?

What 3 aspects were solely focused on?

Answer 2

To investigate observational learning of aggression (SLT)

1. Observing aggressive model= imitate more aggression
2. Boys more aggressive than girls
3. Children imitate more actions from same-sex models the most

Question 3

What kind of experiment was carried out in the study?

How were children sorted into their randomly distributed conditions?

Answer 3

Labatory experiment (with elements of a controlled observation)

Pre-rated for natural aggression on 4, 1-5 point rating scales- then matched into 3’s and evenly distributed across modelling conditions

Question 4

How were the groups/ conditions structured? (control, aggressive, non-aggressive)

Answer 4

Aggressive: male role model- 6 male children and 6 female children
female role model- 6 male children and 6 female children
Non-aggressive: male role model- 6 male children and 6 female children
female role model- 6 male children and 6 female children
Control (no model): 12 male children, 12 female children

Equates to 72 children

Question 5

What experimental design was used for the study?

Answer 5

Independent measures design

Question 6

What independent variables were present in the study?

Answer 6

• Gender of the model (m or f)
• Gender of the child (m or f)
• Aggression or no aggression (behaviour of model)

Question 7

What was the dependent variable?

What type of actions were considered for both physical and verbal aggression?

Answer 7

Number of imitative aggressive actions
* physical: kick, hit with mallet, punch
* verbal: “Sock him in the nose”

Question 8

What did the sample consist of for the study?

Answer 8

• 72 children from Stanford University Nursery
• 36 males, 36 females
• mean age of 52 months

Question 9

What controls were present within the study?

Answer 9

• same 2 adult observers behind one-way mirror
• same adult models across conditions
• same adult experimenter
• same order of toys (stage 3)

Question 10

Stage 1

How long did this part take?

Which groups/ conditions were involved in this stage?

Answer 10

10 minutes

No, control group was not involved

Question 11

Stage 1

What was the adult doing when the children individually came into the room?

Answer 11

Playing ‘calmly’ with tinker toys

This was the same regardless of whether the groups were going to see aggressive or non-aggressive behaviour

Question 12

Stage 1

What did the adult do in the non-aggressive condition?

Answer 12

Adult continued to calmly play with tinker toys

Question 13

Stage 1

What did the adult do in the aggressive condition?

Answer 13

After 1 minute- experimenter hits, kicks, and throws bobo doll in the air (models aggression), also uses verbal aggression like “Sock him in the nose”

Question 14

Stage 2

How long did this part take?

Which groups/ conditions were involved in this stage?

Answer 14

2 minutes

All groups were involved

Question 15

Stage 2

What was in the second room?

Answer 15

Appealing toys e.g. fire engine, tea set, dolls

Question 16

Stage 2

What did the experimenter say to the children in the room?

Answer 16

At first: they could play with the toys
After they began to play: they can’t play, as these toys were reserved for the ‘best’ children

Question 17

Stage 3

How long did this part take?

Which groups/ conditions were involved in this part?

Answer 17

20 minutes

All groups/ conditions

Question 18

Stage 3

Where were the children taken next and what was in this room?

not toys/ objects

Answer 18

Another room outside of the nursery, this room contained a one-way mirror

Question 19

Stage 3

What did the experimenter do in this room?

Answer 19

Looked ‘busy’ with paperwork and acted as if he wasn’t watching the children

Question 20

Stage 3

How did the order of the toys make the experiment fair across all three conditions?

Answer 20

They were ordered in the same way across all 3 conditions so there would be no bias on toys chosen

Question 21

Stage 3

What did the 2 observers behind the one-way mirror do?

Answer 21

They observed the children and aggression towards the bobo doll

They also checked for inter-rater reliability

This was done the same for all 3 conditions

Question 22

Results

What was found about witnessing aggressive models?

Answer 22

Witnessing an aggressive model= significantly more agressive themselves

Question 23

Results

What results were found from non-aggressive group and control group?

Answer 23

There was very little difference in aggression between these two groups

Question 24

Was same-sex modelling iminent in the results?

Answer 24

Yes- Boys were more likely to imitate aggressive male models

Question 25

How were boys found to be aggressive in comparison to girls?

physical and verbal aggression

Answer 25

Boys more physically aggressive
Girs more verbally aggressive (when observing a female model)

Question 26

What was concluded about witnessing aggression firsthand?

Is the Social Learning Theory correct?

Answer 26

Witnessing it can be enough to produce aggression by an observer

Yes

Question 27

What was concluded about gender-specific behaviour?

Answer 27

• Children selectively imitate it
• Boys and girls more likely to imitate physical aggression from male role models
• Verbal aggression more likely to be imitated from same-sex role models for girls