kids, tv, and role models: what’s the connection? a research study based on albert bandura’s by...
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KIDS, TV, AND ROLE MODELS:WHAT’S THE CONNECTION?
A RESEARCH STUDY BASED ON ALBERT BANDURA’S
By
Mary Kate
Urban
and Liz Lowery
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
Albert Bandura
• Born December 4, 1925 in Alberta, Canada
• Psychology professor at Stanford since 1953
• Environmentalist
• Children’s minds are structured by the
models and social training practices
provided by environment
• Nature ---------------------------------------------
Nurture
• Major contribution to psychology:
Social Learning Theory
In social situations, people learn
simply by observing others’
behavior.
Bandura
Social Learning Theory
• Observational learning is powerful!
• No-trial learning : acquiring new behavior all at once,
entirely through observation
• Vicarious reinforcement : noting what happens when others
try a new behavior, we formulate expectations about
outcomes without our own direct action
• Learning appears to be cognitive
• Models : who we learn by
• Many different kinds
• Live
• Symbolic (TV, books, verbal instruction)
4 Components of Social Learning
1. Attentional Processes• No imitation without attention • Models attract our attention by their appeal or by our needs /
interests
2. Retention Processes• To imitate a model after observation, we must remember
them in symbolic form
3. Motor Reproduction Processes• Accurate reproduction of behavior requires necessary motor
skills• Comes with physical growth and practice
4. Reinforcement and Motivational Processes• Difference between acquisition and performance• Performance is governed by reinforcement (direct or
vicarious)
Our Research Study Framework
• Bandura claims that “models often attract our attention because they are distinctive, or because they possess the trappings of success, prestige, power and other winsome qualities” (Crain, 199)
• Televised modeling is “so effective in capturing attention that viewers learn much of what they see without requiring any special incentives to do so” (Bandura, 25)
• In 1977, Bandura predicted that with the “increasing use of symbolic modeling, parents, teachers, and other traditional role models may occupy less prominent roles in social learning” (Bandura, 39)
• There seems then to be a possible connection between how much television children are exposed to and who they identify with as their models
“The increase in consumption is in part the result of more programming targeted at kids…including video on demand, which is particularly popular among young children who like to watch their
favorite shows over and over again.”
“ ‘The biggest misconception is that it's harmless entertainment,’ said Strasburger, who has written extensively about the effects of
media on children. ‘Media are one of the most powerful teachers of children that we know of.’ “
October 2009
Kids watch more than a day of TV each week.
The latest figures from Nielsen have children's TV usage at an eight-year high. Children's health advocates warn of adverse effects.
Our Investigation
• In the advent of the twenty first century, when children are exposed to more and more hours of television every day, what models are they identifying with?
• Is there an association between the amount of television watched by children and their choice of model to imitate?
Critical Questions
• Who influences 8-10 year old children? Who are their role-models?
• Is there an association between the amount of TV watched and influential
models?
• Is there a prevalence of television models chosen over parental/real life
models?
• What aspects of the model do children identify as influential?
Hypothesis
• Children who watch a high amount of TV will choose media role
models more often than those who watch a moderate or low
amount of TV
• Traditional models will be chosen less often due to the influx of
attractive television models.
• In light of Bandura’s statement about the allure of models based
on their “power, prestige, etc” the children who choose television
models are more likely to choose them due to their external rather
than their internal qualities.
Testing the Subjects
School: Lee Elementary, Irving
Grade: 4th , GT
Sample size: 15 students
Procedure:
• Students with signed permission slips were allowed to participate
• The tests were taken anonymously among the 15 students• Students took about 15 minutes to complete the
questionnaires
Data Collection Instrument
1. Who do you want to be like? Circle one of the people below. 2. Why did you choose this person?
3. How many TV shows do you watch?
4. Do you watch TV every day?
5. When do you watch TV? a. After school b. In the evenings c. Weekends d. All of the above
6. What show(s) do you watch every day?
7. What is your favorite show(s)? 8. Who is your favorite TV character?
Mom
Dad
Sibling
Teacher
Friend
Grandma
Grandpa
Other
Barack Obama
David Beckham
Michael Jordan
Justin Bieber
Michelle Obama
Shakira
Miley Cyrus
Lady Gaga
Spiderman
Shrek
Sponge Bob
Tinker Bell
Superman
Superwoman
Kim Possible
Hannah Montana
Rubric for Questions 3 - 8
HIGH MODERATE LOW
3. How many TV shows do you
watch?
More than 5 3-4 0-2
4. Do you watch TV every day?
yes Yes no
5. When do you watch TV?
d. All of the above
a. After school
b. In the evenings
c. Weekends
none
6. What show(s) do you watch every
day?
More than 5 specific
3-4 specific 0-2 specific
7. What is your favorite show(s)?
More than 5 specific
3-4 specific 0-2 specific
8. Who is your favorite TV character?
More than 3 2 0-1
Rubric for Question 2
External/
Real Life
Internal/
Real Life
External/
Real Media
Internal/
Real Media
External/
Fictional
Internal/
Fictional
TV
HIGH
TV
MODERATE
TV
LOW
External Qualities• Physical appearance• Wealth• Status
Internal Qualities • Personal accomplishment• Leadership• Happiness/fulfillment
Summative Rubric
Real-Life Model
Real-Life Media Model
Fictional Model
Other
TVHIGH
-Real life-Real life media
-Fictional
TVMODERAT
E
-Real life-Real life media
-Fictional
TVLOW
-Real life-Real life media
-Fictional
At a glance…•O
nly 1/15 had low TV exposure
•9/15 chose media-based models
•7/15 had high TV exposure
•Of those, 5 chose media based models
1/15chose mom
1/15 chose dad
2/15chose teachers
2/15chose friends
Who are the real life role models?
Mom
Dad
Friend
Teacher
Who are the media based role models?
Selena
Selena Gomez
Shakira
Michael Jackson
Justin Bieber
Sponge Bob
4/15 chose Justin Bieber
5/15chose evenly
between Selena, Selena Gomez,
Shakira, Michael Jackson, and Spongebob
Moderate - Low TV0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Real Life ModelMedia Model
Model Choice for Moderate – Low TV
Of those who had MODERATE – LOW TV exposure…
50% chose a Media-Based model
50% chose a Real-Life model
On What Basis? External vs. Internal
Real Life Model Media Based Model
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
External QualityInternal Quality
What they said…
EXTERNAL Justin Bieber
“Because one day I wish to be a really famous person.”
Shakira “Because she is famous, I like her song and I
like her muves and some people sing her songs the most.”
Selena Gomez “I choose this person because she kind of looks
like me. She has some tv shows she is in. She is pritty.”
What they said…
INTERNAL Justin Bieber
“Cause I think he doesn’t get into a lot of trouble and he is telling kids never say never cuase you can always do it and you wont sceed if you don’t try. I think he’s a good role model for me and for kids.”
Friend “Cause she is nice, generous, and cool.”
Dad “Because I was named after him, I look like him,
and I like being like him.”
Our hypothesis
…was correct!
• Children who watch a high amount of TV chose media role
models more often than those who watch a moderate or low
amount of TV
• Parental models were chosen less often
• Children who chose television models chose them due to
their external rather than internal qualities
If we did it again…
More subjects Consider gender Consider race More carefully worded questionnaire More carefully worded rubrics Hourly TV exposure
Generated Questions
How would results from a faith-based school sample differ from a public school sample? What about homeschoolers?
Is there an association between ethnicity, role model choice, and TV exposure?
What is the association between the subject’s gender and the gender of his/her role model?
Conclusion: Bandura’s got the right idea!
TELEVISED MODELING IS POWERFUL! 70% of our subjects chose media
Implications Media especially have responsibility Parents have responsibility
Parents should ask themselves, “What qualities do I want my children to imitate?”
Bibliography
Bandura, Albert. Social Learning Theory. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1977
Crain, William. “Bandura’s Social Learning Theory.” Theories of Development. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2000. 193-212.
Gold, Matea. “Kids watch more than a day of TV each week.” Los Angeles Time Article Collections. Web. 18 February 2011. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Times, 2009.