Bandura, 1961 (2024)


	Bandura, 1961
	Advantages Controlled lab experiment- for example, the use of the intermediate room to get the children in a similar emotional state, and modelling careful actions that could easily be observed once imitated. This lead to a cause-and-effect relationship being shown. There were 2 observers, increasing inter-observer reliability. A blind procedure was used as one of the judges did not know the child, so there was no bias. The children did not know they were being watched as there was a one way mirror and they could not see the observers. This stopped demand characteristics. Also they were too young to understand the aim, again reducing demand characteristics. This increases the reliability of the study.	Disadvantages Lacked ecological validity, as although the setting was realistic, the actions were not. The adult either deliberately acted aggressive or subdued towards a bobo doll. As the doll was placed in the room where they were observed, they may have thought they were supposed to reproduce the behaviour they just observed. It has been criticised on ethical grounds- the children could not give consent and parents were not mentioned so may not have consented. Despite this, it may be assumed that the university had an ethical committee overseeing the ethical grounds. It may be hard to generalise as all the children were from a university nursery, so it may be a biased sample. It may also only be generalisable to children in the USA.
	Evaluation

Controlled lab experiment- for example, the use of the intermediate room to get the children in a similar emotional state, and modelling careful actions that could easily be observed once imitated.
This lead to a cause-and-effect relationship being shown.
There were 2 observers, increasing inter-observer reliability.
A blind procedure was used as one of the judges did not know the child, so there was no bias.
The children did not know they were being watched as there was a one way mirror and they could not see the observers. This stopped demand characteristics. Also they were too young to understand the aim, again reducing demand characteristics. This increases the reliability of the study.

Lacked ecological validity, as although the setting was realistic, the actions were not. The adult either deliberately acted aggressive or subdued towards a bobo doll.
As the doll was placed in the room where they were observed, they may have thought they were supposed to reproduce the behaviour they just observed.
It has been criticised on ethical grounds- the children could not give consent and parents were not mentioned so may not have consented. Despite this, it may be assumed that the university had an ethical committee overseeing the ethical grounds.
It may be hard to generalise as all the children were from a university nursery, so it may be a biased sample.
It may also only be generalisable to children in the USA.