Outline & Evaluate, one or more, Social Psychological Theories of Aggression

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Vicki Banks

Outline & Evaluate, one or more, Social Psychological Theories of Aggression

Social learning theorists propose that behaviour, such as aggression is learnt through observation, imitation and behaviour shaping. This behaviour is learnt automatically through observation of male and female role models, for example parents, peers and media characters. Whether or not this behaviour is imitated depends on the type of reinforcement that the role model receives.

  Vicarious reinforcement involves the outcome of a role models behaviour, for example if a child observes a parent acting aggressively and receiving positive rewards for they are more like to be imitate this behaviour in the future, than they would be if the role model received negative feedback.

 A study that investigates reinforcement and the Social Learning Theory is Bandura’s BoBo Doll Experiment. Bandura exposed children aged three and six, to either an aggressive model of the same or opposite sex or a non-aggressive model of the same or opposite sex. Where the model was non-aggressive, the model just played with the toys and ignored the BoBo Doll. The aggressive model however showed aggression towards the BoBo Doll, by punching it at the same time as being verbally aggressive towards it. Afterwards the children observed the role models being positively rewarded for their behaviour regardless of whether they were aggressive or not. The child was then taken to another room where there were a variety of toys including, a BoBo Doll. The child was observed. It was found that the children exposed to the aggressive model reproduced a great deal more aggressive behaviour than those in the non-aggressive or control groups. Furthermore, Bandura found that the children imitated the model of the same sex more than the model of a different sex.

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This supports the Social Learning Theories of aggression as the children learnt through observation of the role model, imitation of their behaviour and behaviour shaping. Also they received sweets and praise as a form of positive vicarious reinforcement thus meaning that there was a chance of repetition of the aggressive behaviour outside the laboratory setting. The vicarious reinforcement is also a direct consequence that will have an effect on the chances of the child repeating the behaviour. As if the child was punished they would have been less likely to act aggressively again.

   On the other hand, it is ...

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