Aggressive
Learning and Child Behaviour
Learning Concepts
Learning behaviors may stem from effort or environmental influences.
Not all learning is beneficial; it can include harmful behaviors as well.
Core Study 1: Bandura et al. (1961) - Aggression
Full Citation:
Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), 575-582.
The Psychology Being Investigated
Fundamental observation: Children imitate adults due to encouragement from their social setting.
This imitation forms the basis of behavioral modeling; children adopt behaviors seen in others around them.
Social Learning Theory: For social learning to occur, children must:
Pay attention to the model's behavior.
Retain the observed behavior to reproduce it later.
The behavior learned can be aggressive or non-aggressive, influencing the child's behavior independently of adult presence.
Key Terms
Model: A person whose behavior is imitated, serving as an example of either positive or negative behaviors.
Social Learning: Learning a new behavior through observing and then imitating a role model in absence of that model.
Aggression: Any behavior aimed at causing harm, either physically or psychologically, to others.
Hypotheses
Children observing aggressive behavior will exhibit more aggression compared to those exposed to non-aggressive or no models.
Children observing non-aggressive behavior will exhibit less aggression than those with no model.
Imitation of a model will be more likely if the model is of the same sex as the child.
Boys will show more readiness to imitate aggression compared to girls, as aggression is perceived as a masculine behavior.
Nature vs Nurture Debate
The study explores the crucial role of the environment, highlighting the influence of models (parents, caregivers) on child development.
Behavioural praises and consequences (rewards/punishments) influence children to adopt sex-appropriate behaviors, leading to differences in aggression expression between boys and girls.
Study Background
Previous observations confirmed children imitate model behaviors in the presence of the model.
Bandura et al. further examined social learning theory's applicability to aggression in absence of the model.
Method
Research Method: Laboratory experiment with controlled environment, independent measures design, and matched participants for aggression.
Independent Variables (IVs):
Type of model: aggressive, non-aggressive, or no model.
Model's sex: same-sex or opposite-sex regarding the child.
Child's sex: either male or female.
Dependent Variable (DV): The behavior exhibited by the child, quantified through controlled observations.
Sample
Total of 72 children aged 3-6 years from Stanford University nursery, equally distributed based on gender.
Procedure
Prior to the main study, children were rated on physical aggression, verbal aggression, aggression towards inanimate objects, and aggression inhibition on a five-point scale.
Participants were grouped into threes, with similar aggression ratings ensuring balanced aggression levels.
The children experienced different modeling conditions:
Aggressive models exhibited physical violence towards a Bobo doll; non-aggressive models demonstrated neutral behavior with toys.
All groups encountered the same observational settings and toys to minimize variance.
Children observed for 20 minutes post-experiment using a one-way mirror to evaluate their behaviors without realization of observation.
Observational Measures
Categories of Behaviors Evaluated:
Imitative Physical Aggression: Actions directly imitating the aggression shown towards the Bobo doll.
Imitative Verbal Aggression: Restating verbal prompts made by the aggressive model.
Non-imitative Aggression: Aggressive behaviors not directly modeled.
Non-aggressive Play: Engagement in non-aggressive, quieter play behaviors.
Results
Children who witnessed aggressive models significantly exhibited more aggression in both physical and verbal actions than those witnessing non-aggressive or control scenarios.
Mean Aggression Scores (Table 4.1):
Boys with male models showed higher imitative physical aggression (25.8) compared to girls (7.2).
Girls displayed more imitation of verbal aggression when exposed to same-sex models.
Patterns in play behavior varied; boys engaged in more exploratory and gun play while girls tended to play with dolls.
Conclusion
The findings substantiate that observation and imitation can lead to the learning of aggressive behavior without any reinforcement from adults.
All four initial hypotheses were confirmed regarding imitative behaviors related to aggression, with a marked difference based on the sex of the model and child.
Ethical Considerations
Concerns arose regarding potential harm from behavioral conditioning leading to increased aggression post-study. Psychological stress induced during procedures (e.g., mild annoyance) also poses ethical issues regarding child welfare.
Implications and Applications
Findings stress the importance of monitoring children's exposure to aggressive models via media, possibly influencing policies on media consumption and certification to protect young audiences.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
Laboratory setting allowed for control over extraneous variables, enhancing internal validity.
High inter-observer reliability values indicated consistent behaviors being documented.
Weaknesses:
Limited sample size may not represent broader population diversity.
Qualitative data could provide richer context but was less utilized.
Overall Summary: Bandura et al.'s research highlights essential aspects of social learning behavior in children through observational learning, emphasizing critical considerations in behavioral development and media influence on aggressive behavior.