Bandura

Bandura

1. Background

   • This study looks at how aggressive behaviour develops in children
   • Is aggression innate or learned?
     • The behaviourist perspective suggests that it is learned, through association
     • Bandura looks at how life experiences shape people

2. Aim

   • The aim of this study was to demonstrate that if children were passive witnesses to an aggressive display by an adult they would imitate this behaviour when given the opportunity

3. Sample

   • The sample was 36 boys and girls between 37 months and 69 months. Parents gave consent.
   • There was an average age of 52 months

4. Hypotheses

   • 1. Subjects exposed to the aggressive model will reproduce acts representing those of the models
   • 2. The observation of the non- aggressive model will have a generalised inhibiting affect on the subject's subsequent behaviour
   • 3. Subjects will imitate behaviour of the same sex model to a greater degree that the model of the opposite sex
   • 4. Boys will be more predisposed than girls towards the imitation of aggression
     • Stereotypes that males are more aggressive. Biological factors such as testosterone

5. Procedures

   • This study was a lab experiment and the design was matched pairs as they matched children on pre-existing levels of aggression and gender. (reduces confounding variables)
   • Bandura wanted to test pre-existing levels of aggression so he could detirmine that any change that is found in levels is due to the model.
   • The children were observed in the university nursery and any aggressive behaviour displayed was rated on the scales: 1. Physical aggression 2. Verbal aggression. 3. Aggression towards inanimate objects. 4. Agressive inhibiton
     • Each child was observed by people that knew them well- they go shy with strangers. They were given a score depending on the no. of behaviours they displayed. Bandura wanted to check the inter-rater reliability- this came out as 0.89 (this is very high and good.)
   • the IVS were as follows. 1. the condition (aggressive/non- aggressive) 2. Gender of role model. 3. gender of child.
   • stage 1: The room was set out for play and activities were chosen that had high interest for nursery school children. On the table there was a tinker-toy set, a mallet and a five-foot inflatable bobo doll. in the aggressive condition- the model played for 1 MINUTE and then began hitting the bobo doll. After 10 minutes, the child was taken to another games room.
   • Stage 2: The child was subjected to 'mild aggression arousal'. The child was taken to a room and told they cannot play with the toys. they were then taken back to the main room.
   • Stage 3: This stage is the observation. This is when they are kept in this room for 20 minutes and their behaviour was observed through a one way mirror. Observations were made at 5 second intervals therefore giving 240 for each child.
     • Response measures were 1. Imitated 2. partially imitated and 3. non- imitated.

6. Results/findings

   • Children in the aggressive model made more aggressive responses than those in the non-aggressive model.
   • Boys made more aggressive responses than males
   • Boys were more aggressive if the model was male
   • Girls were more physically aggressive if the model was male but more verbally aggressive if the model was female.

7. Evaluation

   • Strengths
     • This method allows cause and effect to be established. Thus it demonstrates how the model did have an affect on the child's behaviour as all of the variables other than the IV are controlled, such as gender and pre-existing levels of aggression.
     • This method can be replicated due to the standardised lab method. Replicating experiments means that we can check reliability of results.
   • Weaknesses
     • This study is not ecologically valid as the situation involves and adult and child, There is no interaction between them and therefore it is a very limited social situation,
     • Doesnt look at long term affects of this study. We can therefore not detirmine the long term affects of the development of aggression