Evaluation of a Social Psychological Theory of Aggression
One of the most influential approaches to aggression is the social
learning theory approach, put forward by Albert Bandura. According to
this approach, most behaviour including aggressive behaviour is
learned. Albert Bandura believed that aggression is learned through a
process called behaviour modelling. He argued that individuals,
especially children learn aggressive responses from observing others,
either personality or through the media and environment. He stated
that many individuals believed that aggression would produce
reinforcements. These reinforcements can formulate into reduction of
tension, gaining financial rewards, or gaining the praise of others.
Bandura believed if aggression was diagnosed early in children, then
this would reframe them from being adult criminals. He argued that
aggression in children is influenced by the reinforcement of family
members, the media, and the environment. He believed aggression
reinforced by family members was the most prominent source of
behaviour modelling. He stated that children use the same aggressive
tactics that their parents illustrated when dealing with others.
Children learn to act aggressive when they model their behaviour after
violent acts of adults, especially family members.
For example, a boy who witnesses his father repeatedly strike his
mother will more than likely become an abusive parent and husband.
Albert Bandura believed that aggression must explain three aspects:
First, how aggressive patterns of behaviour are developed; second,
what provokes people to behave aggressively, and third, what
determine...
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... at home
but gentle and submissive at work, it means they are reinforced
differently in the two situations. They have learned to behave
differently in the two situations because assertiveness brings rewards
in one context but not in the other. Also if violence is learned, then
exposure to successfully aggressive models may lead people to imitate
them. Aggression can therefore, be passed across generations, as each
new generation observes and imitates what it perceives to be
appropriate and successful behaviours of the preceding generation.
Bandura's approach is limited in this area. Aggressive behaviour does
not depend only on observational learning. People's internal emotional
state, their interpretation of the current situation, and their
personality are other important factors that need to be taken into
account.
One example of the “Social Learning Theory” is the Bobo doll experiment conducted by Albert Bandura in 1961. In this experiment children were either exposed to an adult exhibiting aggressive behavior or non-aggressive behavior towards the doll. When it came time for the children to interact with the doll, the children who were exposed to aggressive behavior were more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior (Nolen, n.d.).
Nurture brings out the aggressive behaviour in humans. Mikal Gilmore’s book, Shot in the Heart, correlates with the aspect of aggressive behaviour nurture because of how he turned out unlike the other four, who did not have a this ability to kill. The nurture of a child into adulthood develops and creates the aggressive behaviour within the environment. The aggressive behaviour can be found in every human, but it is not until the cognitive development of a child that the aggressive behaviour can start to form and become overpowering. Though the basis of aggression is found in people it is not until a child is exposed to an aggressive
Aggression is defined as any behavior intended to harm another person who is motivated to avoid the harm according to Baumeister & Bushman (2014). A study was conducted in 1967 by Leonard Berkowitz and Anthony LePage, to determine whether the presence of weapons would elicit aggressive behavior from an individual (Baumeister & Bushman, 2014). They hypothesized that participants were likely to associate weapons, particularly firearms, to aggression and violence, which would cause observing a weapon to elicit an aggressive response. The experiment determined that the presence of weapon can elicit an aggressive response from people ready to act aggressively. In the study, participants were shocked up to seven times then given the opportunity to
Children who were exposed to aggressive model later showed a substantial amount of the model’s physical and verbal aggression. The responses were almost identical to the original behavior. Children who were exposed to non-aggressive models or who had no exposure to any models, rarely produced such responses. The ways that children expressed their aggression in ways which clearly resembled the model’s novel behavior showed strong evidence of learning by imitation.
Philosophers since the beginning of time have debated over the source and cause of violent tendencies in humans that in turn produce global conflicts, to solve the age old question, man or beast? Global conflict can with out a doubt be completely accredited to the human race, but what are the particular reasons for humans to cause such conflicts? There are many topics that have been argued by philosophers and historians over the connection between the reasons the human race and global conflict. One such topic is the gender based theories and sexual differences of men and women. Others believe that religion, with particular emphasis on monotheistic beliefs, is the major basis of conflict among the human race up to this day. Another important fact to take into consideration when attempting to understand why there is global conflict in the human race; is the significance of individual cultures amongst opposing or simply separated tribes, groups, states, and nations. Lastly, one must consider the physical evidence, for example, figuring out what can be learned about previous prehistoric societies from anthropology and paleontology. The basis of the debate is the nature of mankind; is it in our nature to be like wild animals with a lust to kill with the only difference between us and animals being intelligence, or is it that mankind over the time of existence have developed such things as material goods, religious belief systems, and all different ways of life that are responsible for violence and conflict throughout the history of the world. There is no clear cut answer to why mankind acts in such a way, but one can develop a very strong argument or theory which includes and relat...
Social psychologists conclude that the frustration-aggression hypothesis remains tentative and that multiple factors may be associated with the expression of aggressive behavior. Critics of the frustration aggression theory point out that frustration does tend to lead to aggression in some circumstances but not always (Berkowitz, 1990). Theorists also suggested that a broader term than frustration should be used as the source of aggression because aggression can be elicited or instigated by other factors, such as the character and perceived intent of the instigator, personality factors and life experiences of the frustrated individual, and environmental conditions (Meyer,
It is my belief that aggressive behavior in children is linked to the media, but also to the behavior portrayed by the people around them. Many studies have been targeted toward the link between aggression and viewing violence in the media. One well-known study was conducted by Albert Bandura and is known as the Bobo doll experiment. Research has shown that a child will mimic the actions of others if the actions are reinforced. “Albert Bandura argued that aggression in children is influenced by the reinforcement of family members, the media, and the environment” (Bandura, 1976).
The idea that people learn from one another through observations, modeling, and imitation has been identified as the theory of social learning. Psychologist, Albert Bandura, proclaims that human personality is an interaction between the environment and the mental processes of the individual. To test this theory, Bandura established that children can learn a social behavior such as aggression simply by observing the modeled behavior of another person. Physically aggressive children acquire aggressive tendencies by how their parents have disciplined them. If screaming, slapping, beating, etc., is evident, children are likely to mimic such behaviors and this has the potential for escalated abuse and essentially, violence begets violence. This theory also infers the influence media violence on
Children today are likely to experience or witness violence at home. Researchers are concerned about the effect domestic violence has on children, and has prompted researchers to conduct an increasing number of investigations into this issue. Social learning theory and Erikson's theory of basic trust are two tools used to predict aggressive behavior in children.
One of the most researched topics in the history of psychology is aggression. One goal of social scientists has been to define aggression. Some believe that aggression is biologically preprogrammed, others look toward situational factors and this study suggests that aggression is learned. This study was conducted by Albert Bandura and his associates in 1961 at Stanford University. The researchers proposed that the children be exposed to adult models with either aggressive or nonaggressive ways, they would then be tested without the models present to determine if they would imitate that aggression they observed in the adult.
Bandura discusses the importance of observational learning. Bandura focuses mostly on how kids develop their habits based of their role models. Bandura shows this in the Bobo Doll Experiment. The Bobo Doll experiment consisted of 36 boys and 36 girls. They were then separated again into watching a video of a plastic doll called Bobo. Some children were separated by some adults aggressively beating up Bobo and the other half were calm adults. After they were showed the video, the kids were then shown to Bobo and the results matched the Social Learning Theory to the max. The kids that were show the aggressive videos were aggressive towards Bobo. Another Social Learning Theory can be told in my shoes because I have done something similar. I remember in fifth grade my older cousin would always ride his bike down the biggest hill without a helmet. I figured if he did and was okay, why can’t I? I learned the hard way and sliced my arm on a rock. Luckily I did not need stitches however, I did go to the doctors and got ointment for it. I still have the scar today. I feel like the Social Learning Theory has made an impact on my life because I have had the opportunity of having a role model. This role model has made a positive change to my life. Similar to Bobo, I have seen what negative role models have done for a person and how much it affects
Bandura’s theory uses the social- learning approach. This approach would explain that Antwone was a product of what he saw. This showed in the behaviors that he displayed. This approach derives from the behaviorist approach (Schultz & Schultz, 2013). Bandura would believe that one learns by observing what is taking place in his or her environment and the people that are around the individual (Schultz & Schultz, 2013). Modeling was very important to Bandura (Schultz & Schultz, 2013).
Now ways to help prevent or at least acknowledge were some aggressive behavior comes from. In the “BoBo” doll experiment we saw that children act out aggression as they see it. So it’s safe to say that a front line to reduce aggressive behavior comes from the home. Studies have shown that more aggressive children have physically punitive parents or guardians in their active life, disciplining with aggressive acts such as screaming, slapping, and beating. The culture also has a great deal of influence when it comes to aggressive behavior. In adolescent ages those who observed violent act with guns are twice as likely to become violent as they grow.
When children see a violence, they want to imitate for it. After playing violent games, a teenager may lash out, if things do not go on his or her way.
...nd aggressive behavior. In M. H. Bornstein and M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Social, emotional, and personality development. Part III of Developmental Psychology: An Advanced Textbook (2nd Edn.), pp. 461 – 495. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates