See Aggression…do aggression Austin Lin and Jordan Kodner Background Social learning theory - belief that learning is the primary factor in personality development Previous research showed that children imitated behavior of adult models Albert Bandura and associates proposed study in 1961 at Stanford University to test if aggression is learned Bobo doll study Exposed children to adult models who behaved in aggressive way and then tested in new situation without model present to see how aggressive they would behave Hypotheses: • Subjects that observed violence would imitate it • Subjects would more readily imitate aggressive samesex models • A greater number of male subjects would be aggressive compared to female subjects 72 children: half boys, half girls ranging from ages 3 to 6 Children led to a playroom and on the way encountered adult model that was asked to come “join in the game” The child was seated in one corner with toys Experimenter was seated in another corner with a set of different toys For both the non-aggressive and aggressive trials the adult started by playing with the toys The room was filled with attractive toys After a short time they were not allowed to play with them and were moved to the final room The final room was filled with nonaggressive and aggressive toys (mallet, bobo doll, dart guns, toy cars/trucks, crayons, tea set, etc) results Measures of aggression: • Imitation of physical aggression • Imitation of verbal aggression • Mallet aggression (hitting with objects) • Non-imitative aggression Results: • Those exposed to violent models imitated aggression • Subjects in non-aggressive group averaged far fewer instances of violence • More boys were aggressive compared to girls discussion Wanted to prove that behavior could be learned through observation and imitation • No reinforcement Child viewing ‘inhibition’ against aggression • Message that this form of violence is permissible Aggression=masculine-typed behavior • Boys followed male models more than girls following female models • Male modeling of violence carried social acceptability • More powerful in ability to influence observer Recent applications Two Major Contributions • Most of behavior that make personalities are formed through modeling process • Groundwork for new research Aggression and Sex • Hostility generates sexual arousal/enhancement • • lack of it creates sexual indifference/boredom Rape creates less sexual arousal than a non-rape environment Bobo doll video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHdovKHDNU