Transmission Of Aggression Through Imitation Of Aggressive Models - Research Paper Example

Transmission Of Aggression Through Imitation Of Aggressive Models Purpose & Hypothesis of the Research The research explores earlier studies conducted for examining influence of model figures on reactions of children and their patterns of behavioral imitation (Bandura & Huston, 1961). The purpose of this research is to examine how children exhibit imitative behavior in the absence of models and in a new situation (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). Major hypothesis of the research states that earlier reinforcements experienced by subjects is reflected in their habits through imitation and the findings of this research conducted on children can be generalized on adult population as well. The main hypothesis is further extended by the peripheral premise that a child’s imitation habits are also affected by their own and model’s gender. Hence, children are more likely to imitate gender appropriate behavior under the influence of negative and positive enforcement i.e. male children are less likely to get positive feedback for imitating female behavior, therefore they would imitate the behavior of same sex model instead of opposite sex. Research Methodology The research sample comprised of 36 boys and 36 girls whereas the research setting was Stanford University Nursery School. The children were in between age range of 3 to 6 years with mean age being 4.3 years (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). Two adult figures (one male and one female) were planted in the selected settings and the experiment was supervised by a female personnel. This sample was further divided into eight groups comprising of six subjects that were intended for experimentation. There were three major categories on the basis of exposure to aggression i.e. aggressive group (with aggressive models), non-aggressive group (with subdued models) and control group (with no model). Half of children in these categories were exposed to same gender model and rests were exposed to opposite genders. The control group in which no model was placed had 24 subjects and they were kept in a generalized environment. These subjects were examined on the assumption that their readiness to imitate aggressive behavior is positively related to level of aggression experienced by them. To examine this notion, subjects in experimental and control groups were matched at the later phase. The research instrument comprised of four rating scales examining physical aggression, verbal aggression, aggression towards inanimate objects and aggressive inhibition (this scale was used for calculating aggression anxiety in subjects). These scales were rated by a teacher and experimenter who were already aware of children’s behavioral patterns; also feedbacks of models and independent observers were also included. A composite aggression score was obtained in order to examine inter-rating performed by the teacher and experimenter. For research settings, three different experimental rooms were used. In the first room, a model and children were placed in different corners of the room. The child was provided with appropriate different objects used in earlier studies to play with i.e. potato prints and stickers. Also, the male figure was also provided with various toys in which a Bobo doll was the main object. In the absence of experimenter, the model exhibited a predetermined aggressive physical and verbal behavior i.e. hitting and kicking while using aggressive sentences, while playing with the doll only. Some of the sentences used were non-aggressive for the purpose of examining imitation pattern in a repetitive manner. After 20 minutes, subjects were taken into another room full of attractive toys however they were not allowed to play with them by stating that these toys are only meant for best children so that this measure can act as an external stimulator for aggression. Later on, they were taken into third room in which toys used by model were placed in the same pattern used earlier. Experimenter observed verbal and physical behavior of the subjects and correlated them with model’s predetermined behavior. The external stimulus was also used to examine presence of inhibitory process. Almost all the subject placed in aggressive settings imitated physical and verbal aggression whereas some of them reported to have a partially imitated behavior by using toys other than Bobo doll while showing same distinct novel aggressive responses (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). In non-aggressive settings and control groups, the behavior of model and placement of toys was highly subdued. Results The results of the research indicated that there is a clear relationship between aggressive reinforcement and imitation patterns of subjects. The mean scores of subjects kept in aggressive and non-aggressive settings were compared in order to examine imitated, non-imitated and partially imitated responses for physical and verbal aggression, and non-aggressive verbal use. Almost 70 percent of subjects showed zero imitation in non-aggressive and control settings. However, this variance between groups was further analyzed with Friedman two-way analysis. The difference between three groups in terms of treatment conditions was further proven to be significant by means of Cochran Q test with aggression observed being the main reason behind this difference (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). Observing partial imitation indicated that children exposed to aggression were more likely to show partial imitation towards other toys (sign test results being p=0.01 which is significant than control and nonaggressive groups scores that were p= 0.059 and 0.18 respectively) and this behavior was more prominent in female subjects as shown by individual test signs i.e. a mean number of 0.5 mallet aggression responses in non-aggressive groups as compared to mean values of 18.0 and 13.1 for girls in the aggressive and control groups, respectively. Where general effect of treatment conditions was found to be relatively significant (x2r = 8.96, p < .02), same results were not found in non-imitative behavior (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). Further examination indicated that boys were more likely to imitate aggression than girls but only in the case of physical aggression as shown by the results of t-test used (= 2.50, p < .01) showing consistency in Sex X Model interaction. The results were further higher in the cases of same sex models while calculating physical (t = 2.07, p < .05) and verbal imitative aggression (t = 2.51, p < .05), more non-imitative aggression (t = 3.15, p < .025), and interest in aggressive gun play (t = 2.12, p < .05). Such pattern was more evident in case of girls having female models. Examining non-aggressive and control groups suggested that male models have more influence in generalized situations. Further sign tests results showed that imitative aggression was fairly less in groups having non-aggressive reinforcement as compared to control groups (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). For evaluating non-aggressive behavior, Lindquest (1956) Type III analyses were used. The tabulations showed subjects showing more interest in toys appropriate for their gender e.g. boys devoting significantly high time to guns (p < .01) (p. 580). Furthermore, subjects in non-aggressive settings spent considerably more time playing with dolls (t = 2.67, p < .02), and sitting alone in the corner (t = 3.07, p < .01) than aggressive and control groups (Bandura, Ross & Ross, 1961). Discussion The research findings confirm the notion presented by Skinner (1953) by asserting that social imitation plays a vital role in attainment of new behavior if kept under frequent reinforcement. Where subjects showed learning patterns by imitation, such exposure can also reduce impacts of inhibitory responses of the subject. The same notion was supported by the research of Miller and Dollard (1941) in which subjects imitated discrimination behavior of their models however these models were only a stimuli of behavior that was known to the subjects and formed part of their cognitive inventory. However, existence of same experiment settings and exposure, prior knowledge of model’s novel pattern and imitation solely by observation instead of pre-established norms are some of the significant differences between current and previous studies. Another rationale for imitative behavior is provided by previous studies (Logan, et al., 1955; Maccoby, 1959) as they recognize covert mechanism of imitation. This mechanism taken place due to lacking of imitated behavior’s earlier learning which is further reinforced by punishments and rewards. Explanation for significant imitation of male models is explained with the help of Rosenblith (1959) by stating that male figures are usually not available in school settings therefore male’s reward value has more influence on imitated behavior. However, this relation is more significant in terms of physical imitation making masculinity and feminity being the major variables affecting imitation. The research findings also support the notion that inhibition can not only reduce the possibility of aggressive behavior’s occurrence but can further restrict previous learning and exhibition of aggression. Further explanation of imitated behavior is provided by psychoanalytic theory by stating that such imitation by subjects is also a coping mechanism against anxiety resulting from presence of aggressive threatening model. The research leaves a room for exploring imitation behavior in the light of pre-learned behavior i.e. how subjects compared behavior of models with sex-appropriate behavior taught to them earlier. The current research also discusses notion of differential reinforcement of aggression by caregivers and adults provoking different inhibitory patterns in children with the help of previous studies however it does not provide any support to this argument in the current research. The research also considered quality of relations with nurturing and non-nurturing models to be a submissive variable as compared to aggressive behavior however more support for this argument is required. References Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S.A. (1961). Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 63(3), pp. 575-82. Read More