Canvas by Ozzie Franke

Dr. Albert Bandura

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 15:48:06 UTC

Canadian-American Psychologist and Professor

What is this theory?

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 16:39:04 UTC

This is the theory that bridged traditional learning theory to cognitive factors (behaviorism to cognitive). Dr. Bandura believed that children learned skills, attitudes, and beliefs through observing and intimidating what the people around them do. He emphasized the importance of caregivers modeling behaviors they want their child to pick up on and breaking habits that they didn't want their child to pick up.

The Bobo Doll Experiment

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 16:39:16 UTC

Dr. Bandura explains behavior as something that is learned over time. His most famous experiment, the Bobo Doll Experiment (1961), was a testament to this idea. He said that children will model the behaviors of those around them both adult and peer wise. The Bobo Doll experiment was an experiment in which Dr. Bandura tested if behaviors (more specifically aggressive behaviors) would be learned by watching other people do it. He took 36 boys and 36 girls (72 children total) between the ages of 3-6, pre-tested them for how aggressive they were by nature on a five-point scale, and divided them into groups based on the scores they received. After that, he divided the children into three groups with 24 children each and set up the models: Aggressive, Non-Aggressive, and Control. The children that watched adults act aggressively towards the Bobo Doll also began to act aggressively towards the Bobo Doll in the same way. Even when given tools that the adults didn't use to hurt the Bobo Doll, the children still attacked the Bobo Doll the same way. The children that observed the Bobo Doll without aggression were significantly less violent with the doll same with the children that were in the control group. This proved Bandura's point that children learn behaviors by watching and modeling what others around them do, say, and respond with.

How Does This Apply?

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 16:40:53 UTC

Bandura's theory applies everywhere when it comes to modern development. It first serves as a reminder to parents that children learn based on what they do, meaning that new parents really need to watch out for bad behaviors that their children might see. It also applies to how to teach children new behaviors like solid study habits and schedules. By observing other people like teachers, parents, and family members consistently committing to solid and healthy habits, children will naturally pick up on those habits as well and grow accordingly.

Criticisms of the theory

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 16:41:01 UTC

While this theory has many backings, it has quite a few criticisms. One of the most common is that the theory has never gone through proper observational research and therefore has a weaker standing than other theories. It is argued that very little is actually known about the mechanisms of what children learn and how they learn it, meaning that Bandura's take cannot fully be accepted until we are able to discover something more concrete to prove it.

In The Modern Day

merrinfranke — 2025-03-14 16:41:46 UTC

Bandura's theory that children are always watching is still relevant and with the age of social media it is easy for children to observe their parents when they are on their phones. If their parents pay too much attention to their phones instead of bonding with their child, the child learns from observing that behavior that phones and social media are more important than them. On the flip side, if children are always on electronics themselves then they may observe behaviors that strangers post online thinking that, since someone else is doing it and getting attention for it, then they can do it too.

Author's Note

merrinfranke — 2025-03-15 01:05:24 UTC

Many of the references are linked in the photos themselves because I couldn't actually figure out how to just create a link box on Padlet. Thank you for understanding :)