Bandura (1963)

Method

  • Sample: 48 girls, 48 boys aged 35 – 69 months (mean = 52 months)
  • Group 1: watched real life male/female models be aggressive to Bobo doll
  • Group 2: watched 10 minute film version of model be aggressive to doll
  • Group 3: watched cartoon of female model dressed as a cat be aggressive to doll
  • Control Group: not exposed to violence

Results

  • Groups exposed to violence were nearly twice as likely to be aggressive compared to control group
  • Boys exhibited more overall aggression than girls
  • Boys displayed more total aggression, imitative aggression, aggressive gun play and non-imitative aggression than girls
  • Boys were more aggressive when exposed to male model
  • Girls were less aggressive with gun play when exposed to female models
  • Boys shown female aggressive model were more likely to sit on the doll rather than punch it
  • 1961 Results Table
  • 1963 Results Table 
    Real-Life Aggression Human Film Aggress. Cartoon Aggression Control Group Aggress
    83 92 99 54

    Evaluation Summary

    • G – low – from the same nursey – cannot be generalised to children from other backgrounds
    • R – high – standardised procedure – easily replicable
    • R – high (inter-rater) – 2 judges measuring DV – removing experimental bias
    • A – yes – research led to watershed and age rating certificates – non-aggressive role models in media can encourage helpful behaviour
    • V – low ecological – adult kicking doll was unnatural – children may believe that is the way you should respond to the doll
    • V – high internal – room 2 meant all children were in the same emotional state entering room 3 – eliminates EV and establishes cause and effect
    • V – low – may interpret the aggression as ‘playing’ – Cumberbatch (1990): children who were unfamiliar with the doll were 5 times more likely to imitate aggression than those who were familiar with it
    • E – low – ambiguity of how permission was gained – unfair on children to try and evoke aggression as it may cause psychological harm