Bandura (1961): Social Cognitive Theory (Bashing Bobo)

Study memorization

What was the aim of Bandura’s study?

To investigate whether children could learn aggressive behavior by observing adults.

What theory does the study support?

Social Cognitive Theory

What type of reinforcement does Social Cognitive Theory have?

vicarious reinforcement

What type of experimental design was used?

matched pairs design

How was aggression pre-tested in participants?

5-point scale based on physical, verbal and object aggression

What was the inter-rater reliability of the aggression pre-test?

0.89, indicating high agreements between raters

How many major conditions were there in the study?

Three major conditions:
- Control Group
- Aggressive model group
- Non-aggressive model group

How were participants further divided?

By gender and whether their model was female or male

How many experimental conditions are there in total?

Eight

What behavior did the model display in the aggressive condition?

Acted violently towards the Bobo doll

What behavior did the model display in the non-aggressive condition?

 Played quietly with blocks.

What was the purpose of the "mild aggression arousal" stage?

To frustrate the students by taking away their toys

What types of toys were in the room during Stage 3?

Aggressive and non-aggressive toys

How long were children observed in Stage 3?

20 minutes

What sampling technique was used in the study?

Purposive Sampling

How many children participated with this study?

72 Children

What was the mean age of the participants?

52 months

What was a key finding about gender differences in aggression?

 Boys displayed more aggressive behavior than girls.

What ethical concern is raised by Bandura’s study?

 Exposing children to aggression could cause undue stress or long-term effects.