Learning Approach: The Bobo Doll Experiment

Have you ever wondered how we learn to do things, like ride a bike or speak a language? The learning approach in psychology is all about understanding how our behavior is shaped by our experiences. It suggests that we learn through:

• Association: Connecting events or actions together (like Pavlov's dogs learning to salivate at the sound of a bell).
• Observation: Watching and imitating others (like learning how to tie your shoes by watching someone else).
• Reinforcement: Getting rewards for good behavior or punishments for bad behavior (like getting good grades for studying hard).

The Bobo Doll Experiment: Putting the Learning Approach to the Test

One famous experiment that explored learning by observation was the Bobo Doll Experiment conducted by Albert Bandura in 1961. Here's the gist:

• The Setup: Researchers had three groups of children watch an adult interact with a Bobo doll (an inflatable clown doll).
• Group 1: The Aggressive Model: The adult aggressively attacked the doll, punching, kicking, and yelling at it.
• Group 2: The Non-Aggressive Model: The adult played calmly, ignoring the doll.
• Group 3: The Control Group: The children didn't see any adult interacting with the doll.
• The Test: After watching the adults, all the children were allowed to play with the Bobo doll.

The Results: Learning Through Imitation

The experiment revealed some interesting findings:

• Children who observed the aggressive model were much more likely to imitate the aggressive behavior. They punched, kicked, and shouted at the doll in a similar way to the adult they had seen.
• Children who observed the non-aggressive model rarely showed aggressive behavior.
• The control group also showed very little aggression.

What Does It Mean?

The Bobo Doll Experiment provided strong evidence for the idea that children learn through observational learning. They can pick up new behaviors simply by watching others, even if those behaviors are aggressive. This has important implications for understanding how children learn and the impact of media violence, for example.

Real-World Examples:

• A child who witnesses a parent yelling at someone may be more likely to yell at others themselves.
• A child who sees a sibling get praised for sharing their toys may be more likely to share their own toys.
• A child who watches violent movies or video games may be more likely to act aggressively.

The Takeaway:

The learning approach reminds us that our behavior isn't just determined by our genes. We are constantly learning and adapting based on our experiences, and the people we observe around us can have a big influence on how we behave.