Psychology - Core Studies - Bandura et al

Name of Bandura’s study?

“Transmission of Aggression through imitation of aggressive role model”

Aim of Bandura’s study?

to evidence the social learning theory, focus on aggression

Method of Bandura’s study?

lab experiment

Hypothesis of Bandura’s study?

1. children exposed to aggressive role models will reproduce aggressive acts

2. children exposed to non-aggressive role model will show less aggression than expected

3. boys will be more aggressive than expected

4. children will imitate their same-sex role model

IV of Bandura?

1. Aggressive/Non-aggressive role model (control = no role model)

2. Sex of role model

3. Sex of children

DV of Bandura?

Reproduction of aggression - measured intensity and similarity of acts

Sample Technique of Bandura?

Opportunity sampling

Participants of Bandura?

Children from Stanford university

36 boys and 36 girls, 37-69 months

limited experience of aggression, find it easy to learn

Design of Bandura?

matched groups (prior testing for aggression levels), independent groups, quasi (sex + age)

Stage 1 of Bandura?

Exposure to role model (given objects to play with and RM placed between the child and the door, RM initially calm then changes to be A or NA)

Aggressive Behaviour - repeated cycle of actions (Pushed down Bobo doll, sat on it, punched it, hit it with a mallet, picked it up and threw it, kicked it, said set aggressive phrases in a NA tone)

Stage 2 of Bandura?

Aggression Arousal - taken to a room with lots of toys, once they focused on one toy it was removed, told that “only good children get to play with toys”

Stage 3 of Bandura?

Observation - 2 observers, time sampling (20 mins every 5s), in room was a variety of toys including mallet + smaller bobo doll, crayons, paper etc

Results of Bandura?

Hypothesis 1 - Accept, male subjects with male A RM showed 25.8 imitative physical aggression vs control of 2.0

Hypothesis 2 - Accept, female subjects with female NA RM showed 0.5 imitative verbal aggression vs control of 0.7

Hypothesis 3 - Partially accept, female subjects with female A RM showed 13.7 imitative verbal aggression vs male at 4.3 however male aggression was higher in other areas such as physical aggression at 25.8 vs 7.2

Hypothesis 4 - Partially accept, female subject imitate higher verbal aggression 13.7 than physical 5.5

Conclusions of Bandura?

proved that SLT does seem to reflect how aggressive behaviour is learnt by children

the necessity of having appropriate role models (matching sex, ensuring they display desirable behaviour)

Evaluate Bandura’s method?

+ - various types of aggression, 2 types of data, controlled, standardised

- - only recorded behaviours once, not true-to-life

Bandura - Sample Bias?

+ - equal no. of boys and girls, similar ages

- - affluent and white predominant, educated parents, one area, only 6 per group

Evaluate Bandura’s data?

quantitative - easy to compare, took averages from only 6

qualitative - more explanation of behaviour, less easy to compare

Evaluate snapshot in Bandura’s study?

+ - fast and cheap compared to doing a long study

- - can’t measure change over time

Is Bandura’s study objective/subjective?

objective - had a behavioural checklist

D.C. and S.D.R. in Bandura’s study?

limited as children didn’t know they were being observed however girls may have been less aggressive because of societal expectations

Validity of Bandura’s study?

face - supports SLT

construct - Y

ecological - N

concurrent - Y

temporal validity - Y, (1993) James Bulger Murder, 10 year olds abducted him after being heavily exposed to violent films

Generalisability of Bandura’s study?

unnatural environment for children - aggressive adult, without their parents

only used one age group

white, American ethnocentric

Is Bandura’s study nature/nurture?

nurture - exposure to certain behaviours causes behaviour, behaviourist

Is Bandura’s study determinist/free will?

determinist

Is Bandura’s study reductionist/holistic?

reductionist

Social sensitivity of Bandura?

could learn aggressive behaviour more permanently, used gun toys at a time of high gun violence

no stigmatisation or politicisation

Ethics of Bandura?

Fairly unethical

Respect - Informed consent, didn’t get from parents only the nursery, children unaware they were able to leave - Confidentiality, Y

Responsibility - Protection from harm, no physical risk however they were left alone to cry and made upset - Debrief, children often left upset, worse than arrived

Integrity - Deception, none

Competency - highly regarded psychologist

Scientific Research of Bandura?