In the Bobo Doll Experiment, what was a key finding?

• A. Observing violence Has No Effect
• B. Observing Violence Decreases Aggression
• C. Only Male Children Imitate
• D. Observing Violence Can Increase Imitation

Answer: (D)

Observational learning is being tested here—the idea that people can learn and imitate behaviors simply by watching others. In the Bobo Doll experiments, children watched an adult model act aggressively toward a large inflatable doll, performing punches, kicks, and aggressive remarks. When later allowed to play, those who had seen the aggressive model tended to imitate many of those exact behaviors, copying both actions and language, more than children who hadn’t seen aggression. This shows that exposure to violence can increase imitation of aggressive behavior, a core finding that supports how we learn through observation. Both boys and girls imitated, though the extent and type of aggression often differed, which explains why the result isn’t limited to one gender.