Bobo Doll Experiment (1961)
Paper Overview:
In this article we aim to summarize and evaluate the research paper "Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models" by Bandura, Ross, and Ross (1961), a classic study in the literature of social psychology. In a nut shell, this paper describes the experiment that tested the hypothesis: that children would imitate aggressive behaviour observed in adults, even when the adults were not present.
Experiment Design:
The experiment involved 72 children (36 boys and 36 girls) between 3 and 6 years of age. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) Aggressive model: The adult model performed novel aggressive behaviours toward a large inflatable Bobo doll (an inflated, plastic clown-like doll). (b) Non-aggressive model: The adult model played quietly with a set of other toys. (c) Control: The child did not watch any model.
After observing the model, the child was taken to an adjacent room and exposed to mild frustration by being shown attractive toys that they were not allowed to play with. Subsequently, the child was taken to a third room containing a variety of toys, including the Bobo doll and other aggressive toys (e.g., a mallet, toy gun). The child's behavior was observed and recorded by two raters who tallied the number of aggressive acts exhibited.
Results:
The results indicated that children who observed the aggressive model were more likely to imitate the specific aggressive acts they had seen, such as hitting the Bobo doll and saying "pow." They also displayed more general aggression, such as kicking or throwing the Bobo doll. The children who observed the non-aggressive model or no model were less aggressive compared to those who watched the aggressive model.
There was a significant effect of gender: boys were more aggressive than girls, particularly when the model was male. Researchers concluded that children learn aggressive behavior through the observation and imitation of adult models. Additionally, those exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in verbally aggressive ways.
Evaluation and Conclusion:
The study by Bandura et al. (1961) is a landmark in the world of social psychology, demonstrating the potential for human behaviour to be influenced through observational learning. The study's design was methodologically sound with appropriate controls, although there are some notable limitations. The experiment had a relatively small sample size and was conducted in an artificial environment, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Ethical concerns also arise from exposing children to aggressive behaviour and potentially encouraging imitation.
Simply Put
Despite these weaknesses in the limitations, the study is highly regarded for its clarity, innovative design, and significant implications for understanding social learning and aggression. It highlights the importance of considering both qualitative and quantitative data and recognized gender differences observed in behaviour, which has influenced many educational and social policies across the world. The study has inspired numerous subsequent research studies on aggression, modelling, and social learning.
References
Additional References for Contextual Studies
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall.