Bandura, Ross & Ross (1961)

1. Bandura, Ross & Ross (1961) Bobo doll study

2. Aim Hypothesis • To see whether children will imitate aggressive behaviour, even if in different environments and without a model present. • Children will imitate the aggressive behaviour of the models • Non-aggressive models will have an inhibiting effect • Same sex model will have more influence • Boys will imitate aggression more than girls will.

3. Procedure • Laboratory experiment with observations, 36 boys and 36 girls from Stanford nursery aged 37-69 months. • First IV: non aggressive model/aggressive model/no model • Second IV: male model/female model • Third IV: male participant/female participant • Matched Pairs study – tested for aggression beforehand • Rated on physical/verbal behaviour towards objects and self-control.

4. Results Types of imitation measured: • Verbal aggression • Physical aggression • Non-aggressive verbal responses • The children in the aggressive condition modelled the behaviour • The children in the non-aggressive group had 70% that modelled the behaviour • The children in the aggressive, non-imitative behavior was displayed more • The children in the non-aggressive group played with the toys Gender: • Boys imitated more physical aggression • Boys imitated the male model • Girls imitated the female model

5. Conclusion • Learning can take place by observing • Freud’s identification theory was proved • Children are more likely to follow the same sex model.

6. Evaluation • The study has controls of operationalisationof variables and cause-and-effect results can be drawn up • Reliability because two judges can observe the behaviour and their scores compared • The situation was not natural • The situation wasn’t ethical as the children observed physical/verbal aggression.