Role of affective assessment in modeling aggressive behavior

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Social Learning Theory
• Media Psychology

Background:

• Bandura's social learning theory explains aggression through observation and imitation.
• Affective assessment, or personal preference, may influence which behaviors are modeled.
• Previous research supports logical learning theory, suggesting preference guides learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of affective assessment in children's modeling of aggression.
• To determine if children imitate aggression based on personal preference.
• To extend Bandura's Bobo doll experiment by incorporating affective ratings.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two first and second graders rated toys and televised aggression.
• A control group was yoked to experimental subjects' affective preferences.
• Children engaged in free play with toys and an inflatable doll.

Main Results:

• Children modeled affectively preferred aggressive acts and toys more than dispreferred ones.
• Observational learning was evident in both experimental and control groups.
• Gender differences emerged in imitating positively rated aggressive actions, not negatively rated ones.

Conclusions:

• Affective preference significantly influences the imitation of aggressive behaviors.
• Children's modeling of aggression is moderated by personal liking, not just observation.
• Findings have implications for understanding televised violence and its impact on children.