Parental Guidance: Influencing Children's Behaviour through Observation

The research Albert Bandura did on observational learning, specifically in reference to the Bobo doll experiment, might be translated into parental advice in the form of a few cautions. For young children up to age three, observed negative consequences, such as reprimands or punishment decreased the likelihood that modeled behavior would be emulated (Cherry). This means as a parent if you observe behavior, in other individuals or children who are associating with your child, that is negative you should make it clear that type of behavior is unacceptable so that your child will be less likely to imitate that disapproved behavior. Observed disapproval discourages negative behavior. If noting parental disapproval of others’ actions creates a restraint

If modeled behavior can have an effect in one instance or moment, logically daily observed behavior will have the greatest effect on a child. Modeling positive behavior and reactions in your dealings every day is the best way to provide your child with the tools to deal with the situations that come up in life. So the caution is this - no matter what you do as a parent, you are being watched. Your approval by either participation in a behavior or failing to speak out against a behavior is being observed. Your disapproval of behaviors and restraint, or lack thereof, is also being observed. So whether it is negative or positive all parental behavior is being observed by their children. The conclusion is this; young children will tend to behave in the way they see behavior modeled (though most children have never seen an adult throw themselves on the floor in a store and kick and scream and cry, and at some point most children will do

There are hormones that play a part physiologically, as well as biological factors that may have an effect. Boys in Bandura’s study were more aggressive to begin with and if aggressive behavior was modeled by a male this increased the aggressive acts (McLeod). So boys may be more biologically predisposed to aggression than girls (however you can also see the nurture argument in the stronger emulation of the male role model). Thought processes as regards to learning and performing tasks can also have a bearing on aggression. Low ability to tolerate frustration can lead to aggression. Some people reroute easily, they have the attitude “it is fun to solve problems, let’s look for a new way.” Other people have a throw in the towel “oh well, it didn’t work” mentality and they give up. Then there is another group of people that have the attitude “this is supposed to work this way, and it should work like this, and I will make it work this way,” and they become increasingly frustrated when it doesn’t materialize in the way they wish. This can lead to aggression such as throwing the item or even in eventual success that doesn’t end up feeling like accomplishment. So thought processes can also play a part in aggressive behavior as well as biology, physiology, and modeled