What did Bandura and Charlton's studies show about learning aggression?
Core studies: Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) Bobo doll study and Charlton et al. (2000) St Helena study of television and behaviour, including their aims, methods, results, conclusions and evaluation.
A focused answer to the Edexcel GCSE Psychology Topic 6 core studies: Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) Bobo doll study and Charlton et al. (2000) St Helena study, with aim, method, results, conclusion and evaluation.
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What this dot point is asking
Edexcel names two core studies for Topic 6: Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961), the Bobo doll study showing children imitate aggression, and Charlton et al. (2000), the St Helena study of whether introducing television increased aggression. Know each study's aim, method, results and conclusion, and evaluate them, including their methods and ethics.
Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961): the Bobo doll study
The aim was to investigate whether children would imitate aggression shown by an adult model.
The method was a lab experiment. Children watched an adult model behave either aggressively or non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll (an inflatable doll). The aggressive model hit, kicked and shouted at the doll in specific ways. The children were then allowed to play in a room containing the Bobo doll, and their behaviour was observed and recorded.
The results were that children who had seen the aggressive model imitated the specific aggressive acts far more than children who saw the non-aggressive model or no model. Boys were generally more physically aggressive than girls, and children imitated same-sex models somewhat more. The conclusion was that aggression can be learned through observation and imitation of a model, supporting social learning theory.
Evaluation. Strengths: a controlled lab experiment, so it is replicable and shows a clear cause and effect. Weaknesses: it is artificial (hitting a Bobo doll is not real aggression against a person, and may show demand characteristics), and it raises ethical concerns about exposing children to aggression.
Charlton et al. (2000): the St Helena study
The aim was to investigate whether the introduction of television would increase aggression in children, testing media effects in a real community.
The method was a natural experiment on the remote island of St Helena, which received television for the first time around 1995. Researchers observed and recorded children's behaviour before and after TV was introduced, using observation and recordings of playground behaviour and reports from teachers and parents.
The results were that there was little or no increase in aggressive behaviour after television arrived; children's behaviour stayed largely prosocial. The conclusion was that watching media aggression does not automatically lead to imitation: a positive community, close supervision and strong prosocial norms can prevent children from copying aggressive media, showing that context matters.
Evaluation. Strengths: a natural experiment with high ecological validity (a real community over time) and no manipulation of the children. Weaknesses: a natural setting means little control, so other factors (the close, supervised community) could explain the result, and St Helena is unusual, so the findings may not generalise.
Linking the studies
Try this
Q1. What did children imitate in Bandura's study? [1 mark]
- Cue. The aggressive acts the adult model performed on the Bobo doll.
Q2. What method did Charlton et al. use on St Helena? [1 mark]
- Cue. A natural experiment, observing behaviour before and after television was introduced.
Q3. Explain one strength of Charlton et al.'s study. [2 marks]
- Cue. It was a natural experiment in a real community, so it has high ecological validity.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of Pearson Edexcel exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Edexcel 20184 marksDescribe the method and findings of Bandura, Ross and Ross's (1961) Bobo doll study. (Paper 2)Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Describe item rewards the procedure and the key result on imitation of aggression.
Children watched an adult model behave either aggressively or non-aggressively towards a Bobo doll (an inflatable doll). The aggressive model hit, kicked and shouted at the doll. The children were then allowed to play in a room with the Bobo doll, and their behaviour was observed. Children who had seen the aggressive model imitated the specific aggressive acts far more than children who had seen the non-aggressive model or no model, and boys were generally more physically aggressive than girls.
Markers reward the model behaving aggressively or non-aggressively towards the Bobo doll, the observation of the children's later play, and the finding that those who saw aggression imitated it more.
Edexcel 20229 marksEvaluate the use of Bandura (1961) and Charlton et al. (2000) as evidence that aggression is learned from models. (Paper 2)Show worked answer →
A 9-mark Evaluate item rewards strengths and weaknesses of both studies and a conclusion.
Bandura was a controlled lab experiment, so it is replicable and shows a clear cause and effect (seeing aggression increased imitation). Charlton et al. studied children on the remote island of St Helena before and after television was introduced, a natural experiment with high ecological validity, and found little increase in aggression, suggesting that a positive community and supervision can prevent imitation of media aggression.
Strengths: together they use different methods (lab and natural experiment), so converging evidence is stronger; Bandura shows imitation is possible, while Charlton shows context matters. Weaknesses: Bandura is artificial (hitting a Bobo doll is not real aggression and may show demand characteristics), with ethical concerns about exposing children to aggression; Charlton's natural setting lacks control, so other factors could explain the result.
Conclusion: aggression can be learned from models, but whether media aggression is imitated depends on context such as supervision and community norms. Markers reward developed evaluation of both studies, the methodological contrast, a justified conclusion and clear written communication.
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Sources & how we know this
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Psychology (1PS0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2017)