The Bobo Beatdown: Crash Course Psychology #12

In this episode of Crash Course Psychology, Hank talks about how we learn by observation... and how that can mean beating up an inanimate clown named Bobo.


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Chapters:
Introduction: The Bobo Doll Experiment 00:00
Social Cognitive Learning 1:05
Limitations of Classical & Operant Conditioning 1:58
Learning Associations 2:38
Learning & Cognition 4:06
Latent Learning 4:58
Observational Learning, Modeling, & Imitation 5:36
Reward Pathways & Mirror Neurons 6:59
Observational Social Learning 7:58
Review & Credits 8:48
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Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?

[bluebutterfly]

that moment when
you havent studied for the ap exam
that is tomorrow
and crash course is LIFE.

[FasterthanLight]

As a college student I really wish I that my classes actually taught more in a 2 1/2 hour class that crash course does in half the time. I'm literally learning more watching this than paying for a 40 hour course.

[UrbanTurtleFarm]

We just discovered a bit of this by accident last week! Our five-month-old was being fussy in her car seat and since I couldn't pick her up for loves I started comforting one of her toys, a corduroy kitty. She loved it! I kissed, hugged and pet the toy then handed it to her and she mimicked the behavior. She was all smiles at the game till she dozed off. 

[EmilyTotallynotbees]

My mom always built me up and tried to give me a good self esteem but I grew up watching her treat herself like garbage. It was a while before I realized that to me seeing how she treated her self had a much more profound effect on the way I treated myself then all the things she told me. Do as I say and not as I do doesn't really work so be careful what you let little kids see. Next time you're dogging on yourself or saying you look fat yada yada yada look around and see if there are any children around and think about the next generation.

[caseyc]

My dog once choked on his food real bad. Next time we fed him he smelled his food and wouldn't eat it. We had to buy a new flavor of food for him so he could eat again. True story. :-P

[OlleLindestad]

You can't discuss the Bobo experiments without also discussing their flaws. For one thing, the fact that children are affected by what's expected of them factors in. Famously, one kid was heard saying to its mother when brought to the experimentation facility "look mom, there's the doll we're supposed to beat." :P

Also, although social learning may have been a revolution in psychology at the time, these days the Bobo experiments are still being used to prove the effects on children of all kinds of quite unrelated things, like violent media inspiring violence in otherwise healthy kids. There's a big difference between mimicking someone punching a doll, and punching an actual person.

[ProtoMario]

Watching this for my college degree =)

[piprod]

That pretty much explains why spanking/shouting at your children is really stupid.

Not only are you teaching them really inappropriate behaviour for any sort of social interaction.  You've also deprived them of learning appropriate ways to resolve conflicts. 

[AndrewAttard]

Crash Course Psychological was my favorite. Hank can you make a season two?

[chronicallytired]

So everyone here is just watching for exams? Not me, I'm watching for fun. The videos are interesting.

[lilimarlene]

People learn to acquire behaviors by observing others but also learn to avoid behaviors by observing others. When observing somebody doing something that results in an unpleasant consequence we learn to avoid doing what that person has done.

This was a good segment. Hank would have received an A in my course on this material.

[davescave]

So hug your children, share with your friends, and be kind to strangers.... good idea.

[mellowasiam]

So then are mirror neurons why it "hurts" when you see someone else get kicked in the nuts? Or also why you get that same feeling when watching a favorite sports team make big plays?

[AccioJennie]

You just explained Bandura 10 times better than any of my psychology teachers. Which is pretty handy given my exam is in five weeks.

[isabellasarno]

My Psych AP uses your crash courses as an introduction to every unit, I laugh at your every pun and for the tests I only need to rewatch your videos, you're awesome Hank, you should keep making these videos .

[crashcourse]

In this episode of CrashCourse  Psychology, talks about how we learn by observation... and how that can mean beating the tar out of an inanimate clown named Bobo. 

The Bobo Beatdown - Crash Course Psychology #12

[nerubsta]

Why are you always picking on Bernice?

[lolmymag]

i literally just learned about this in my psych class like this shit is gonna be on the final

[supekele]

And this episode is why I am subscribed to the vlogbrothers.

No pressure.

[ChocolateTeapot]

I suppose this is why people worry about violent games...