Psychology being Investigated
- Children imitate their surroundings.
- Children can independently imitate a response.
- Social Learning: learning ne behaviors that is observed in a role model and imitated later in the absence of that model.
- Could lead to aggressive or non-aggressive behavior.
- Aggression: behavior aimed at harming others physically or psychologically.
Background
Aim
Investigate whether a child would learn aggression by observing a model and reproduce the behavior in the absence of the model.
Hypotheses:
1) Observed aggressive behavior will be imitated (those with an aggressive model will be more aggressive than those with a non-aggressive model)
2) Observed non-aggressive behavior will be imitated (those with a non-aggressive model will be less aggressive than those with an aggressive model)
3) Children will be more likely to copy same-sex model
4) Boys will be more likely to copy aggression than girls
Reasearch Methods and Designs
- Laboratory experiment (not normal environment, controlled)
- Independent measures design (different children used in each level of the IV)
(Although children were matched on aggression)
IV:
- Model type (aggressive, non-aggressive, no model)
- Model sex (same sex, different sex model)
- Learner sex (boy or girl)
DV:
- Behavior displayed by child (measured through controlled observation and recorded)
Sample
- 72 (36 boys, 36 girls)
- 3-6 years
- Recruited from Stanford University nursery
Procedure
- Prior to study, children were observed in the nursery by experimenter and teacher.
- Rated on 4 different measures, each with five-point scales
(Verbal, physical, inhibited, and aggression to inanimate objects) - Assigned to 3 groups, levels of aggression matched
- Ratings compared through inter-rater reliability of 0.89.
- 12 boys and 12 girls were in control group
- No model present, thus, saw no aggression.
- Experimenter and child entered observation room.
- Experimenter showed a table and chair in the play area. Shown how to make potato prints and sticker pictures
- Opposite corner of room had table, chair, Tinkertoy set, mallet, and a Bobo doll.
- Model sat here (if one was present)
- Experimenter remained in room so child wouldn’t refuse to be alone and leave early.
Non-aggressive:
- Model assembled Tinkertoy for 10 minutes.
Aggressive:
- Model assembled Tinkertoy for 1 minute.
- After, model attacked Bobo doll.
- Doll was on its side, sat on, punched, picked up, hit with the mallet, tossed in the air, and kicked.
This sequence was performed 3 times over 9 minutes with aggressive comments (Kick him) and non-aggressive comments (He sure is a tough fella)
- Half of the children saw same-sex model, other saw opposite-sex model.
Participants were deliberately mildly annoyed:
- watching aggression may reduce production of aggression by observer and it was necessary to see evidence of learning.
- even in non-aggressive condition and control participants would be likely to show aggression, so any reduction in tendency could be measured.
- Child was observed for 20 minutes using a one-way mirror.
- Transparent for observer, but mirror like for children.
- For aggressive model, it was a test of delayed imitation.
- Experimental room had Bobo doll, mallet, peg board, two dart guns, and a tether ball.
Non-aggressive toys: tea set, crayons and paper, ball, two dolls, three bears, cars and trucks, plastic farm animals. - Childrens behavior observed in 5-second intervals (240 response units per child)
Response measures: - Imitative physical aggression: striking Bobo doll with mallet, sitting, punching, kicking, and tossing in the air.
- Imitative verbal aggression: stock him, hit him down, kick him, throw him in the air, pow
- Imitative non-aggression verbal responses: he keeps coming back for more, he sure is a tough fella
Partially imitative aggression was scored:
- mallet aggression: hit other objects, not the Bobo doll
- sits on Bobo doll: lay on the Bobo doll
- aggressive gun play: firing shots at objects in the room
- non-imitative physical and verbal aggression: physical aggression to objects other than Bobo doll, any hostile remarks except for those not in verbal imitation category (shoot the Bobo, cut him, Stupid ball, Knock over people)
- Male model kept score, except for when a male model was needed.
- A second scorer independently scored the behavior (reliability of 0.9)
