MODELING: LEARNING BY OBSERVATION

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MODELING: LEARNING BY OBSERVATION

Slide 1 of 15: Synopsis

Human Development Video Activity

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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

Drawing of the Bobo doll – a clown drawn on an inflatable doll with sand at the bottom.

Author

Thomas E. Ludwig, Hope College

Synopsis

More than four decades ago, Albert Bandura and his colleagues conducted their now-classic experiments on observational learning and aggression. In this activity, you will view video clips from Bandura’s original Bobo experiments that show a model engaged in aggressive actions and children imitating the model. After observing the children’s behavior, you will identify the specific aggressive actions imitated by the children. The activity concludes with a discussion of Bandura’s findings on the general arousing effect of viewing aggression.

References

Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63, 575–582.

Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1963). Imitation of film-mediated aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66, 3–11.

Slide 2 of 15: Introduction

A flow chart summaries the results of Bandura’s experiment. The experimental group watched the adult model act aggressively toward the doll, then experienced frustration, and were placed in a room with the Bobo doll. The children in the experimental group displayed highly aggressive behavior that imitated the model’s actions. The control group did not watch the adult model act aggressively toward the doll, then experienced frustration, and were placed in a room with the Bobo doll. The children in the control group displayed less aggression, and their aggression was mainly limited to punching the doll with their fists.

More than four decades ago, Albert Bandura and his colleagues conducted their now-classic experiments on observational learning and aggression. These experiments used Bobo dolls—large inflatable dolls weighted with sand at the bottom—as the targets of aggression.

In Bandura’s initial experiment, some young children watched an adult model hit the Bobo doll in a variety of ways and make aggressive remarks to the doll. Other young children saw the doll but were not exposed to the model’s aggressive behavior. Later, the researchers intentionally frustrated the children by removing the toys that they had been playing with. The researchers then left the frustrated children alone with the Bobo doll and filmed their behavior through a one-way mirror.

Click to enlarge the following flow chart, which summarizes the results of Bandura's experiment.

Slide 3 of 15: Results from Bandura’s Experiment

Can you guess what happened? Those children who had seen the model act aggressively (the experimental group) were much more likely to display aggressive behaviors toward the doll than were the other children (the control group). Even more interesting, the two groups differed in the type of aggression that they displayed. When children in the control group acted aggressively, they usually hit or punched the doll with their fists. When the children in the experimental group showed aggression, they often imitated the model’s specific aggressive remarks as well as the model’s specific and unusual aggressive behaviors.

These results show that direct rewards and punishments are not necessary for learning. Children can learn from modeling—that is, they learn to act aggressively just by watching another person’s behavior and can even learn specific novel behaviors from the model.

Click to enlarge the following flow chart, which summarizes the results of Bandura's experiment.

Slide 4 of 15: A Closer Look at Bandura’s Experiment

Modeling 1

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^{Play the video clip as often as you want, and then type your list of the model's behaviors into these response fields. When you have finished your list, move to the next page.}
Note: video has no audio.

Let’s break Bandura’s experiment into its components. First, you will examine the actions of the model in a video clip that is part of the original footage from Bandura’s research. As you watch the video, pay close attention to the model’s behavior.

Question 1.

After watching the video, list the specific behaviors in the response fields below. Be sure to enter one behavior in each of the five answer boxes.

Behavior 1:

Answer box for behavior 1

Behavior 2:

Answer box for behavior 2

Behavior 3:

Answer box for behavior 3

Behavior 4:

Answer box for behavior 4

Behavior 5:

Answer box for behavior 5

Your answers have been recorded. Please proceed to the next slide.

Slide 5 of 15: A Closer Look at Bandura's Experiment (continued)

Adult model hitting the Bobo doll with a hammer

Adult model pushing and punching the doll with 1 or 2 fists

Adult model throwing the doll into the air

Adult model sitting astride the doll while punching it

Screenshot Credits: Courtesy of Albert Bandura © Worth Publishers

How well did you do? Did you notice each of the specific actions illustrated?

Here is the list of behaviors that you observed:

1.) No response entered.

2.) No response entered.

3.) No response entered.

4.) No response entered.

5.) No response entered.

Slide 6 of 15: Observing the Children Who Observed the Model

Modeling 2

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^{Play the video clip as often as you want, and then type your list of the boy’s behaviors into these response fields. When you have finished your list, move to the next page.}
Note: video has no audio.

You have seen the model's actions. Now let’s see how the children interacted with the Bobo doll after watching the model.

The next video shows more of the original video footage from Bandura's research. In this clip, you will see a young boy who participated in the experimental condition (exposed to the aggressive model). Pay close attention to his specific behaviors, and then list those behaviors in the response fields below.

Question 2.

Be sure to enter one behavior in each of the five answer boxes.

Behavior 1:

Answer box for behavior 1

Behavior 2:

Answer box for behavior 2

Behavior 3:

Answer box for behavior 3

Behavior 4:

Answer box for behavior 4

Behavior 5:

Answer box for behavior 5

Your answers have been recorded. Please proceed to the next slide.

Slide 7 of 15: The Boy’s Actions

A young boy hitting the doll with a hammer

A young boy punching the doll with 1 or 2 fists

A young boy throwing the doll into the air

A young boy sitting astride the doll while hitting it with a hammer

Screenshot Credits: Courtesy of Albert Bandura © Worth Publishers

How well did you do? Did you notice each of the specific actions illustrated?

Here is the list of behaviors that you observed:

1.) No response entered.

2.) No response entered.

3.) No response entered.

4.) No response entered.

5.) No response entered.

Slide 8 of 15: Observing Another Child

Modeling 3

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^{Play the video clip as often as you want, and then type your list of the girl’s behaviors into these response fields. When you have finished your list, move to the next page.}
Note: video has no audio.

Perhaps you were not surprised that the little boy imitated Bandura’s aggressive model, but would little girls do the same when put into a room with the Bobo doll? The next video clip, also from Bandura’s original footage, shows a young girl who participated in the experimental condition. Pay close attention to her specific behaviors, and then list those behaviors in the response fields below.

Question 3.

Be sure to enter one behavior in each of the five answer boxes.

Behavior 1:

Answer box for behavior 1

Behavior 2:

Answer box for behavior 2

Behavior 3:

Answer box for behavior 3

Behavior 4:

Answer box for behavior 4

Behavior 5:

Answer box for behavior 5

Your answers have been recorded. Please proceed to the next slide.

Slide 9 of 15: The Girl’s Actions

A young girl is punching the doll with her fist.

A young girl throwing the doll into the air

A young girl hitting the doll with a smaller doll

A young girl pushing and holding doll down

A young girl holding the doll down and hitting it with a hammer

How well did you do? Did you notice each of the specific actions illustrated?

Here is the list of behaviors that you observed:

1.) No response entered.

2.) No response entered.

3.) No response entered.

4.) No response entered.

5.) No response entered.

Slide 10 of 15: Inventing Novel Behaviors

Modeling 4

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It was clear from Bandura’s initial experiment that children could learn specific aggressive behaviors by watching a model, but Bandura also demonstrated that exposure to an aggressive model has a general arousing effect on the child leading the child to invent his or her own novel forms of violent behavior and display actions that go beyond mere imitation of the model.

In this final video, you will see one more clip of Bandura’s original video footage of children in the experimental group. Pay close attention to their specific behaviors.

These children did not see a model throw an object at the doll or point a gun at the doll. Nevertheless, the model’s aggression stimulated the children to initiate these new forms of violence on their own. Bandura concluded that children learn at least two things from observing an aggressive model: (1) how to perform the specific actions demonstrated by the model, and (2) the general point that aggression is an acceptable (and perhaps even enjoyable) form of behavior.

Slide 11 of 15: Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 4.

In Bandura’s experiment, the control group had exactly the same experiences as the experimental group except that the children in the control group did not observe the model hitting the Bobo doll and making aggressive remarks toward it.

Question 4 choicesChoice A., trueChoice B., false

Correct. This statement is true. If the two groups differed in any other ways, we could not be sure that the differences in aggressive behavior were caused by viewing the model.

Incorrect. This statement is true. If the two groups differed in any other ways, we could not be sure that the differences in aggressive behavior were caused by viewing the model.

Slide 12 of 15: Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 5.

When the children in Bandura’s experimental group were left alone with the doll, they were more likely to hit the doll than were the children in the control group.

Question 5 choicesChoice A., trueChoice B., false

Correct. This statement is true. The children in the experimental group who had viewed the model behaving aggressively were more likely to hit the doll and engage in other forms of aggression.

Incorrect. This statement is true. The children in the experimental group who had viewed the model behaving aggressively were more likely to hit the doll and engage in other forms of aggression.

Slide 13 of 15: Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 6.

In Bandura’s experiment, both groups of children were equally likely to make aggressive remarks toward the doll.

Question 6 choicesChoice A., trueChoice B., false

Correct. This statement is false. The children in the experimental group who had viewed the model behaving aggressively were more likely to display both verbal and physical aggression toward the doll.

Incorrect. This statement is false. The children in the experimental group who had viewed the model behaving aggressively were more likely to display both verbal and physical aggression toward the doll.

Slide 14 of 15: Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 7.

Bandura’s experiment showed that children will not only imitate the model’s specific aggressive behaviors but will also invent novel aggressive actions in their own spontaneous play.

Question 7 choicesChoice A., trueChoice B., false

Correct. This statement is true. This was a surprising finding because it demonstrated that children can learn specific actions through observation without being directly rewarded for those actions.

Incorrect. This statement is true. This was a surprising finding because it demonstrated that children can learn specific actions through observation without being directly rewarded for those actions.

Slide 15 of 15: Assessment: Check Your Understanding

Question 8.

Can you think of any common “real-life” situations in which observational learning occurs? Provide several examples in the space below.

Answer box for question 8

Your examples should specify situations in which a model (preferably an attractive or high-status model) demonstrates a particular behavior, and another person imitates the model. Common examples might include:
1.) an athletic aerobics instructor leads a class in an exercise routine;
2.) a teen accompanies her parents to an expensive restaurant and watches others to see which fork or spoon to use for each course;
3.) a young boy practices wrestling moves that he learned by watching professional wrestlers on television.

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