Criminal psychology - 6.2 Studies: 6.2.1 Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961)…

The idea

Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) aimed to see if children would imitate aggressive behaviour from an adult model, and if the model's sex mattered. The procedure involved 72 children observing an aggressive model attacking a Bobo doll, a non-aggressive model, or no model. After mild aggression arousal, children were observed playing. Findings showed children exposed to the aggressive model displayed significantly more imitative aggression. Boys were more likely to imitate same-sex models. A strength is the highly controlled laboratory setting, ensuring high reliability. Weaknesses include low ecological validity, as hitting a doll differs from real-world aggression, and ethical issues regarding exposing children to aggressive acts.

What earns the marks

• Identify the aim of Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) as investigating the imitation of aggressive models.
• Recall that the sample consisted of 72 children who were divided into aggressive, non-aggressive, and control conditions.
• Recognise that a key finding was that children exposed to the aggressive model showed more imitative aggressive behaviour.
• Identify a weakness of the study, such as low ecological validity or ethical concerns regarding the protection of participants from psychological harm.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Stating that the study proves all aggression is learned.

  Put it right: The study demonstrates that specific aggressive behaviours can be imitated in a controlled setting, but it does not rule out biological factors.

• Confusing the independent and dependent variables.

  Put it right: The independent variables included the model's behaviour and sex, while the dependent variable was the level of aggression displayed by the children.

• Claiming the study had high ecological validity.

  Put it right: The study took place in an artificial laboratory setting with a Bobo doll, which lacks ecological validity compared to real-world aggression.

Exam tips

• Memorise the specific number of participants (72 children) and the three main conditions (aggressive, non-aggressive, control) for multiple-choice questions.
• Be prepared to identify the specific types of aggression measured, such as physical and verbal imitative aggression.
• When asked for a weakness, focus on the ethical issue of deliberately exposing children to aggressive behaviour without protecting them from potential psychological harm.