VIDEO: Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment (A Study of Aggression)
What I found to be most interesting about this video is the fact that the children came up with their own ways of displaying aggression towards the doll. At first they began by imitating the model's behavior and over time their aggression became a thing of their own. What was also interesting is the fact that the children who were not exposed to aggressive models did not harm the doll at all. These old experiments are always great to look at because they are very insightful by revealing a lot about ourselves.
In classical conditioning an operant learning we have seen that behaviors are a function of stimuli. We have learned to do certain behaviors by the way we are rewarded or punished. In this experiment with the bobo doll there does not seem to be any rewards or punishments. What drives us learn behaviors that do not involve rewards or punishments?
I believe that modeling of aggression may be closely related with spanking children. One way is that children may learn through observation to physically punish another child if they are 'misbehaving'. Another way is that a child who sees another child getting spanked for misbehavior may learn through observation to not misbehave and avoid getting spanked.
One positive behavior I have learned through observation is driving and traffic laws. Although I have not actually driven a car for the first 16 years of my life I already had a good sense of what I was doing my first time. If we have never seen anyone driving a car before I guarantee you it would be difficult and confusing trying to drive one at first try.
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PHOTO CREDITL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scragz/
You have to factor group think into this as well. Some people feel unconscious cues, like the driving thing.
Wow that's interesting, and a creepy doll
wow that's awesome!
Never heard of this experiment before. Sounds interesting.
sounds intresting.. thanks for sharing
I've learned about this experiment in a psychology course in high school.
damn doll... o__o
nice blog, following you now!
That is one scary monkey.
Nice experiment indeed :o following!
Operant Conditioning, powerful stuff.
Bad monkey
Experiments like these interest me
Interesting stuff man! Definitely a good read.
Will follow for more :)
Very interesting experiment. What does this say about humans being inherently good/evil??
Wow. Sounds interesting. Thanks for the info.
nice post, they always interest me. i tend to learn from others mistakes as stated in your post (as an example)
Interesting post, I like experiments like this
I hate that bloody monkey...
very interesting material@
Very helpful... I am learning about this sort of stuff at medical school at the moment!
Looks like the monkey bomb from CoD WaW haha.
lol'd at that monkey's face XD
yeah, observation, one of our most primary abilities, humans have learned a lot just from observation
Huh that's really interesting. Shows were a lot of my behaviors came from lol.
Love reading about these types of experiments
this is interesting. i want to be psychologist:)
Really? Because I still have a hard time grasping the concept of how to drive a car. and I have my license and everything....the mystery still alludes me...
SCARY MONKEY :O
good read. thanks
this monkeys made me pop out of my chair
Observation is king.
still lolling at the monkey
Good info to have in mind, i allways thought that phisical punishment was not the way.
Mimic-recognition is well predefined in our genes and teeths and big eyes always been signs for agression.
thats monkey from toy story 3!
Very nice blog. Going to follow.
that thing looks familar..