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Bandura et al. (1961): developmental - Coggle Diagram
Bandura et al. (1961): developmental
Background
Previous research shows children imitate adults behaviour
Aims
Bandura wanted to investigate in a controlled way if the observed behaviour would still be shown when the model had left and would be generalised to different settings.
Method- controlled observation
Design- matched pairs,
Sample
72 children enrolled at stanford university nursery. age ranged from 3 years 1 month to 5 years 9 months. The mean age was 4 years 4 months. Equal number of girls and boys.
Sampling technique
Opportunity
Procedure
Stage 1- Each child in the experimental conditions (aggressive and non-aggressive models) were taken individually to a room and the model was invited to join the game
The children were shown some high interest activities (potato printing, stickers). The model sat at another table with small toys, a bobo doll and a mallet. The child was told that these were the models toys and the experimenter left the child with the model.
In the non-aggressive condition, the model played with the toys and ignored the bobo doll. In the aggressive condition, the model played with the toys but after a minute turned to the bobo doll and was aggressive towards it for the rest of the time. The total lime in the room was 10 minutes.
Stage 2- Aggression arousal, children needed to be aroused so that any aggression learned from the model was shown, as previous research suggested that witnessing aggression tends to reduce immediate aggression.
Children were taken to a smaller room with some attractive toys.
The child was told they could play with the toys but once the child had settled (about 2 mins), the experimenter told the child these were her very best toys and she had decided to keep them for other children.
Stage 3- Test for delayed imitation, in the third room was a range of toys, always set up the same for each child. The toys were the same as the first room with extra aggressive toys like guns and a ball hanging from the ceiling and non-aggressive like crayons, a tea set and farm animals.
The children played for 20 minutes and were observed through a one way mirror.
Time sampling was used where every 5 seconds a note was made of the behaviour shown in one of the behavioural categories.
Results
Imitation was measured through:
Imitation of physical aggression- hitting or kicking the bobo doll
Imitation of verbal aggression- repeating phrases such as 'sock him' 'hit him down'
Measures of partial aggression- mallet (hitting other objects with the mallet), Bobo doll (sitting on the doll but not hitting it).
Non-imitative aggression- aggressive acts directed at other objects and hostile remarks not said by the model, aggressive gun play.
Non-aggressive measures- sitting quietly, not playing aggressively or not playing at all.
Results
Children who observed the aggressive model made far more imitative aggressive behaviour responses that those who were in the non-aggressive or control groups.
2.Boys were more likely to imitate same-sex models than girls. The evidence for girls imitating same-sex models is not strong.
Boys imitated more physically aggressive acts than girls. There was little difference in the verbal aggression between boys and girls.
Conclusions
The study supports the claim that simply observing behaviour would produce imitative behaviour which would not be expected if that behaviour had not been observed.
Bandura concludes that behaviour can be learnt by imitation even if it hasn't been reinforced/rewarded. In fact, complex patterns of behaviour can be learned through imitation without needing reinforcement for each part.