What is the Bobo Doll Experiment?

The Bobo doll experiment was a groundbreaking study conducted by Albert Bandura and his colleagues in the 1960s. It aimed to investigate the influence of observational learning and aggression in children.

In the experiment, children were exposed to an adult model who displayed aggressive behavior towards a large inflatable doll called Bobo. The adult model hit, kicked, and verbally abused the doll, demonstrating various aggressive actions. The children observed these behaviors.

Later, the children were placed in a room with toys, including the Bobo doll. The researchers observed and recorded the children’s behavior to see if they would imitate the aggressive actions they had witnessed earlier.

The study found that children who had observed the adult model’s aggressive behavior were more likely to imitate it. They displayed similar aggressive actions towards the Bobo doll, such as hitting, kicking, and even using a toy gun to shoot at it. This experiment provided evidence for the role of observational learning and social modeling in shaping behavior.

The Bobo doll experiment contributed significantly to the understanding of social learning theory, emphasizing the impact of observing others on the acquisition of behaviors, particularly aggression. It also highlighted the importance of media influence on children’s behavior and raised ethical considerations regarding the exposure of children to violent content.

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