Media and Social Learning: A Preliminary Study

 Julia Hogan

University of Dallas

Albert Bandura

• Born in 1945 in Canada•  He attended the University of British Columbia and

University of Iowa for psychology• Taught at Stanford University• Famous for the "Bobo Doll  Experiment"•  Studied social learning and self-efficacy•  Was APA president in 1974

Key Terms

• Observational Learning• No-trial Learning• Cognitive• Vicarious

Reinforcement• Models• Self-Regulation• Self-Efficacy• Abstract Modeling• Reciprocal Influences

• Operant Conditioning/Behavior

• Skinner Box• Reinforcement

o Positiveo Negative

Skinner's Learning Theory

• B.F. Skinner was a behaviorist and an environmentalist.

• Operant Conditioning- organisms interact with the enviroment and give responses and eventually learn to respond a certain way in order to elicit a certain reward or avoid a certain punishment.o Skinner Box

• He believed that behavior is guided by the consequences it elicits.o Brushing teetho Driving Car

Skinner vs. Bandura

Skinner:     Stimulus --------  Response  Bandura:     Stimulus  -------- Cognition -------Response 

Observational Learning

• We learn by observing others' behavior• Learning is cognitive

o Forms a kind of inner representation of what is being learned

•  Four Components of Observational Learning1.Attentional Processes• Retention Processes• Motor Reproduction Processes• Reinforcement and Motivational Processes

Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment

• In 1965, Bandura conducted an experiment on social learning and aggression in children

• 4-year-olds watched a film clip in which an adult punched a Bobo doll.  The film had one of three different endings.

• The children were then placed in a room with a Bobo doll

• Bandura found that the children who watched the film in which the adult was punished at the end were less likely to engage in aggressive behavior towards the Bobo doll.

Bandura and Piaget

• Bandura emphasizes the effects of the external environment more than Piaget does.

• While Piaget believed that children's development is regulated by internal stages, Bandura believed that the environment, through the models it provides for social learning, influences children's minds.

• Unlike Piaget, Bandura believes that children are not inherently motivated to learno Motivated learning can occur but only after self-

efficacy is developed.• Bandura also believes that Piaget's stage theory is

too broad and general.

Social Learning

• Children learn from others how to act in societyo Aggressiono Gender Roleso Prosocial Behavioro Self-Regulationo Self-Efficacy

 

Social Learning and the Media

"Social learning theorists have also shown that behavior is influenced not only by personal or live  models, but also by those presented in the mass media.  Filmed models, in particular, seem to exert a powerful impact, and one major implication is that television, which many children watch for hours on end, is shaping young lives."                                                                  (Crain, 212)

Problem

    Bandura's theory on social learning includes the use of models by which individuals, especially children, learn.  Media, especially television, is a significant element in the lives of children.  Do children use television characters and the situations they find themselves in as models to apply to their everyday social lives?

Hypotheses

1.Overall, participants will report a negative influence from television.

2. Participants will report having watched primarily entertainment shows.

3.There will be evidence, given in the form of a qualitative response, that participants used television shows as models for interacting in real world situations.

 

Critical Questions

1.Are children influenced by the television shows they watch?  If so, is it a positive influence or a negative one?

2.Is there a relationship between the number of hours of television watched and the type of impact television watching had on the child?

3.Is there a relationship between gender and the type of influence television viewing has on the individual?

4.Do children enjoy watching educational shows or do they prefer to watch entertainment shows?

Participants

A convenience sample of N=34 college-aged students (16 males and 18 females) from the University of Dallas, a small, Catholic, conservative university located in Irving, Texas, participated in the research study.

Procedure

1.Participants were asked to complete the surveyo The survey consisted of seven questions.o One demographic questiono Four Likert-type self- report questionso Two qualitative, self-report questions in which

participants were asked to record, in a short statement, an experience with television as a child.

– Data was collected, consolidated, and analyzed

Results: Question 2- Hours Watched All Males Females

One Hour or Less 13 (38%) 5 (31%) 8 (44%)

Between One and Two Hours 9 (26%) 3 (19%) 6 (33%)

Between Two and Three Hours

10 (29%) 7 (44%) 3 (16%)

Between Three and Four Hours 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 1 (5%)

More Than Four Hours 1 (3%) 1 (6%) 0 (0%)

Results: Question 3

When asked to describe the type of television show that the participant liked to watch the most as a child: 1.For all participants, 23/34 answered C.• For males, 8/16 answered C.• For females, 14/18 answered C.

Results: Question 4 

Perceived Influence of TVAll Males Females

A. 10 (29%) 6 (37%) 4 (22%)

B. 13 (38%) 6 (37%) 7 (38%)

C. 10 (29%) 4 (25%) 6 (33%)

D. 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 1 (5%)

E. 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

Results: Question 5

When asked "Did you have a favorite character from a TV show that you admired and wanted to be like": 1.21/34 participants answered "Yes"– 13/34 participants answered "No"

Results: Question 6

1.8/34 participants listed an Educational show as their favorite TV show

2.25/34 participants listed an Entertainment show as their favorite TV show

3.16/34 participants listed an Animated show as their favorite TV show

4.17/34 participants listed a Live-Action show as their favorite TV show

5.The most frequent show listed?  The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Question 6: Data Samples

1."The Might Morphin' Power Rangers, bc they were in high school (not too far removed) and they always kicked butt and won- which is what every young boy desires."

2. "My favorite show was Batman: The Animated Series. I always admired the way he was able to fight for justice, doing the right thing regardless of how difficult or dangerous it might have been."

3. "Looney Tunes- I watched with my mother and I loved the way she laughed"

4. "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was my favorite because of the fantasy land and because of the ways it explored how things were made"

Results: Question 7 CategoriesMoral "I got into a fight with my older brother because he was violating the code of justice that Batman would live by"/ "Tommy (the Green Ranger) starts out as evil, then turns to good because he realizes it's the right thing to do- I can remember that flashing through my mind time-and-time again, as I was presented with evil and good things to do- however I'm having too much trouble remembering any specific instances."

Social "Angelica developed a crush on a boy and gave him a cookie. So I gave my crush a cookie."/ "Charlie Brown going to camp, I learned the experience, missing family, enjoying the time"

Element of Show

"I'm sure Ninja Turtles influenced my actions somewhat, but I can't remember anything in particular. Once, I remember telling my sister to go to Hell 'cause I heard it on a TV show, though."

Imitation "I once tried to emulate Kelly on Saved by the Bell. I dressed in my acid-washed denim outfit in order to impress a boy"/ "I watched the Garfield show; while watching John Arbuckle was biting his nails in a hilarious scary moment, I thought "Hey! That's funny! I should do it too!" so I did and it caused me to start biting my nails! I did eventually stop, but it caused me to have/create a habit!"

Education/ Knowledge

"I knew what pumpernickel bread was because of Barney"

No "No, not really. My parents made it clear to me that TV was a fantasy; just because Batman could run around the city fighting evil did not mean that I could do the same.

Results: Question 7- AllNO 7 20%

N/A 1 3%

Moral 4 11%

Social 6 17%

Element of Show 5 15%

Imitation 8 23%

Education/ Knowledge 3 8%

Results: Question 7- MalesNO 3 18%

N/A 1 6%

Moral 2 12%

Social 3 18%

Element of Show 1 6%

Imitation 5 31%

Education/ Knowledge 1 6%

Results: Question 7- FemalesNO 4 22%

N/A 0 0%

Moral 2 11%

Social 3 16%

Element of Show 4 22%

Imitation 3 16%

Education/ Knowledge 2 11%

Discussion

1.Participants reported a mostly positive influence from television.

2.Participants said that they watched a mixture of educational and entertainment shows but when asked to name their favorite shows, most participants named an entertainment show.

3.Participants were able to name a time when they felt that TV influenced their actions.

Limitations

• Data was collected from a convenience sample that wasn't truly random

• Results apply only to the group tested• Only 34 participants• Based on self-report and memory

A Case Study: Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

• Need for positive modeling• Aimed at children ages 2-4• Realistic talk directly to viewers• Forms a personal relationship with them• Provides positive modeling for how to act in certain

situations (i.e. what do you when you feel mad)• Shown several times in different ways to reinforce

the lesson of the day.

Opportunities for Further Study

• Use a larger sample from different colleges• See if there is a correlation between GPA and

Number of hours of TV watched•  See if there is a correlation between GPA and type

of show watched• See if there are differences in social learning in

advertising versus the written word versus movies/television.

Nature v. Nurture Line

  -----------------------------------||----------|----------|--------|---

Nature

Nurture

Piaget Bandura

Skinner

Sources

• Bandura, Albert. ( 2009). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved November  16,  2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://search.eb.com/eb/article-284970

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