Sheila Ross

Psychology Classics All Psychology Students Should Read: the Bobo Doll Experiment Sheila Ross

A Psychology Classic

Albert Bandura is one of the world's most frequently cited psychologists. His ground-breaking work within the field of social learning and social cognitive theory led to a paradigm shift within psychology away from psychodynamic and behaviorist perspectives. As part of a new research agenda in the early 1960's which posited that people learn vicariously through observation Bandura began investigating aggression through imitation; work that gave rise to one of the most famous psychology studies of all time, "Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models." More commonly known as "The Bobo Doll Experiment," it was the first study to explore the impact of televised violence on children.

Note To Psychology Students If you ever have to do a paper, assignment or class project on the Bobo doll experiment having access to Bandura's original publication in full will prove invaluable. A psychology classic is by definition a must read; however, most landmark texts within the discipline remain unread by a majority of psychology students. A detailed, well written description of a classic study is fine to a point, but there is absolutely no substitute for understanding and engaging with the issues under review than by reading the authors unabridged ideas, thoughts and findings in their entirety.

Bonus Material Transmission of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models builds upon some of Albert Bandura's previously published work. Among the most notable of these earlier publications is Identification as a Process of Incidental Learning; which is also presented in full.

Transmisssion of Aggression Through Imitation of Aggressive Models (The Bobo Doll Experiment.) has been produced as part of an initiative by the website www.all-about-psychology.com to make historically important psychology publications widely available.