Bandura’s Bobo Doll Study

Phase 1 - three groups of children saw aggressive film.

control group "C"- saw film with no consequence.

reward group "R" - saw film and saw the model rewarded for aggression.

punishment group "P"- saw film and saw the model punished for aggression.

Result - children in the "P" (aggression punished) condition later showed LESS aggressive behavior in a “free play situation.”

Phase 2 - Did the children “learn” aggression even though they didn’t display it?

Result - YES, when offered prizes for reproducing the aggressive behavior they saw, all groups displayed aggressive behavior.

Bandura says - this suggests that crime depicted in the mass media, even if the criminal is punished, teaches aggressive and illegal behaviors.

Violent video games and aggression - Bartholow & Anderson (2002) had college students play a violent video game (Mortal Kombat), or a non-violent video game

(golf).

The students later competed against each other in a second game in which the winner “punished” the loser by, delivering a “noise” over earphones. The noise could be

set by the winner from 0 to 100

decibels.

Students who had played the “violent video game” delivered louder "noise" than

students who played the non-violent "golf" game.

Regarding violence in the media, Bandura recommends that:

1. parents and others encourage media executives create more constructive shows and games. and

2. parents monitor and control their children’s access to media violence.

Efficacy expectations - beliefs by the person regarding whether or not they can perform some task successfully.

Four sources of information and relative importance in determining “efficacy expectations”

1. Performance accomplishments - most important of the four, past experiences in which one has been successful (personal mastery experiences).

2. Vicarious experiences - having watched others of similar capability succeed or fail.

3. Verbal persuasion - e.g., "go on, you can do it."

4. Emotional arousal level - higher arousal usually impedes performance.

ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

Bandura relies on the “experimental method.”

Showed that manipulation of “antecedents" (environmental conditions) can alter cognitions which can in turn alter behavior.

THEORY’S IMPLICATIONS FOR THERAPY

"Modeling" - has been used in many situations to help alleviate fears and develop effective behaviors.

Bandura and Menlove (1968) demonstrated the effectiveness of modeling.

Dog-phobic children were exposed to a “model” who interacted with a dog showing no

fear.

Some children saw a single model,some saw multiple models, and some were in a

control (no model condition).

Improvement was made in the model condition and was even better in the multiple model condition.

guided participation modeling - the client watches an effective "model" perform a behavior (e.g., a social skill), and then, with assistance from the model, attempts the behavior himself/herself.

Simply watching (observing) a model demonstrating effective coping is NOT as effective as guided participation modeling.

Applied value - Bandura’s social learning theory has been influential in the areas of

education and behavior therapy.