Concept Practice
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment

Chapter 59. Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment

aggression
behavior intended to hurt another person physically or emotionally
experiment
a method of research that manipulates an independent variable to measure its effect on a dependent variable
learning
changing your behavior or your knowledge as a result of experience
modeling
observing a behavior and imitating it; also called observational learning
observational learning
learning by watching others rather than from direct experience
operant conditioning
type of learning in which a behavior is influenced by the favorable or unfavorable consequences that follow it
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment
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The image is a child punching a Bobo doll. A Bobo doll is a large inflatable doll that is the same shape as a bowling pin, smaller at the top than at the bottom. It is weighted at the bottom so it can move when hit but still stay upright.
Learning Objectives:

Describe the results of the Bobo Doll experiment.

Contrast operant conditioning and observational learning.

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The image demonstrates a process. The first step is a behavior, such as a child pulling on a rubber band to launch it. The second step is the consequences, such as putting a child in the corner. The third step is learning, such as whether to do or not do the behavior in the future.

1. When Albert Bandura began his research on aggression, most psychologists believed that animals (including humans) could only learn through direct experience—by performing an action and then being rewarded or punished. This process is called operant conditioning.

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The image shows a boy and his father. Both have shaving cream on their face. The man has a razor in his hand, while the boy holds a shaving cream brush.

2. Bandura's contribution was to show that children can learn by simply watching another person perform a behavior. This is called modeling or observational learning.

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The image is a still photo of a video showing a woman punching a Bobo doll.
Courtesy Albert Bandura

3. In Bandura’s most famous experiment, young children watched an adult behave aggressively toward a large inflatable doll called a “Bobo doll.”

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The image is a still photo of a girl walking towards a Bobo doll with her hands raised in the air.
Courtesy Albert Bandura

4. Later, the researchers intentionally frustrated the children by taking away their toys, and then left each child alone in a room with the doll. The children imitated the specific actions of the adult model, which included some unusual ways of hitting the doll.

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The image is a still photo of a video showing a boy holding a hammer and standing in front of a Bobo doll.
Courtesy Albert Bandura

5. Bandura also found that exposure to an aggressive model has a general arousing effect on children, leading them to invent their own novel forms of violent behavior that go beyond mere imitation of the adult model.

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Practice 1: Adult Model

Play the video clip. As you watch the adult model, pay close attention to the model’s actions. After the clip ends, select the check boxes next to the specific aggressive behaviors you observed. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

Concept Practice BoboDoll 01
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      Courtesy Albert Bandura Note: this video has no audio.

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      Practice 2: Child 1 ― Boy

      Play the video clip to watch one child who saw the adult model act aggressively toward the Bobo doll. As you watch the young boy, pay close attention to his actions. After the clip ends, select the check boxes next to the specific aggressive behaviors you observed. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

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          Courtesy Albert Bandura Note: this video has no audio.

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          Practice 3: Child 2 ― Girl

          Perhaps you weren’t surprised that the boy imitated the model. But would girls do the same? Play this video clip of another child who saw the adult model act aggressively toward the Bobo doll. As you watch the young girl, pay close attention to her actions. After the clip ends, select the check boxes next to specific aggressive behaviors you observed. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

          Concept Practice BoboDoll 03
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              Courtesy Albert Bandura Note: this video has no audio.

              dnd_test

              Quiz 1

              Drag each term to the appropriate description. When all the terms have been placed, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

              Perhaps you should go back to review observational learning.
              Select the NEXT button and move to Quiz 2.
              observational learning
              aggression
              operant conditioning

              behavior intended to hurt another person physically or emotionally

              learning by watching others rather than from direct experience

              type of learning in which a behavior is influenced by the favorable or unfavorable consequences that follow it

              mc_test

              Quiz 2

              Choose the best answer for this question. Then, select the CHECK ANSWER button.

              Try to answer the question again.
              Bandura's contribution was to show that children can learn through observation (modeling). Select the NEXT button and move to the Conclusion.
              punching the doll with hands hitting the doll with a hammer sitting on doll and punching it
              Courtesy Albert Bandura
              Bandura’s experiments demonstrated that children could learn to imitate the actions of an adult:
              if they were rewarded.
              through direct experience.
              by simply watching.
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              The image is a child punching a Bobo doll. A Bobo doll is a large inflatable doll that is the same shape as a bowling pin, smaller at the top than at the bottom. It is weighted at the bottom so it can move when hit but still stay upright.
              Congratulations!
              You have completed the activity Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment.