The goal is to
cause harm to
others through
wither physical
or verbal
means
Instumental
The goal is to
obtain some kind
of reward or
preferred
outcome, can be
through the
coercion of
another.
Reactive
A responce to a
hostile/aggressive
situation
Sanctioned
Aggressive
behaviour that
is either lawful
or permitted
because the
outcome is
seen as
justifiable e.g.
war.
BOBO DOLL THEORY - BANDURA
AIMS: to show that
learning occurs through
observation, and that
children could lean
aggression when
observing an adult model
behaving aggressively
PROCEDURE: the children
were individually exposed
to an adult behaving
aggressively towards the
Bobo doll, were then
caused distress by not
being allowed to play with
certain toys and then
presented with a Bobo doll
and observed for 20
minuted through a two way
mirror.
SAMPLE: 36 boys
and 36 girls,
average age pf 4
years and 4
months. split into 3
groups of matched
pairs.
FINDINGS: those exposed to the
aggressive adult all showed
imitation, some of the specific
acts of aggression displayed by
the children were direct replicas
of actions displayed by the adult
earlier on. Supporting the idea
that we learn through
observation.
EVALUATION
weaknesses
SLT is largely based on
lab experiments meaning
they lack ecological
validity, juts because a
child hit a doll does
not mean that they
would hit a person.
the children experienced
demand characteristics. they said
when under observation that they
were expected to act aggressively
towards the Bobo doll suggesting
methodological flaws
Ethical problems,the
children were
encouraged to behave
aggressively and they did
not leave as they entered
suggesting that similar
research may lead to the
exploitation of children.
strengths
there is further research to
support it: Patterson et al.
demonstrated that role models
are important in the
development of anti social
behaviour. through surveys
they found that aggressive
children came from homes of
high aggression and little
affection suggesting wider
academic credibility to support
the theory of observation.
BUT: this research is
socially sensitive as it
blames the parents for
aggressive children and
discounts temperament.
Has high reliability
because it is largely
based on lab
experiments meaning no
extraneous variabls.
suggesting that if
repeated results will be
similar.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY KEY TERMS
ATTENTION: a person
has to pay attention to
the model's behaviour
in order to imitate it. a
number of factors effect
attention - similarity,
status, attractiveness
RETENTION: the
behaviour has to be
remembered in order
to be imitated.
REPRODUCTION: the
person has to have the
ability to reproduce the
behaviour
MOTIVATION
the observer
must want to
imitate the
behaviour.
RECIPROCAL DETERMINISM: the
two way relationship between an
individual and their environment
e.g. a gang member will act violently
because they are praised and
rewarded for it through respect and
gaining status but if the behaviour
is not reworded and instead
punished the aggression may
decrease. the aggressive behaviour
is dependant on the environment.