Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Bandura et al (1961)

Aim

To demonstrate that learning can occur through the observation of a model and that imitation will occur when no model is present.

Design

Laboratory Experiment

Procedure

Children were individually taken to a room containing toys.

They played in the corner for 10 minutes while either: an adult behaves aggressively towards a 5 foot inflated Bobo doll; an adult plays in a quiet and subdued manner; no adult is present.

Children are then subjected to mild aggression arousal through being stopped from playing in a room with desirable toys. They are then taken to a room with a Bobo doll and various other toys and observed through a one-way mirror.

Results

Children who were showed the aggressive model displayed significantly more imitative and non-imitative aggression than the other children. This shows us that children copy behaviour.