Some scientists believed that direct reinforcement could not account for all types of learning. Bandura's learning theory added a social element, arguing that people can learn new information and behaviors by watching other people. Known as observational learning (or modeling), this type of learning can be used to explain a wide variety of behaviors. Observational learning takes place when an individual acquires a habit or skill through witnessing the performance of another person. Such learning often, but not always, involves imitation of the observed activities. Question: The professor uses an experiment to illustrate the definition of "observational learning". Explain how this example is related to the reading passage.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】Observational learning means that children can acquire new things through watching adults' performances. In 1961, Bandura conducted his famous Bobo ball experiment to support this theory. Twenty four children were divided into two playrooms where two adult models were seated. The aggressive adult model was attacking the ball while the other played the tinker toy all the time. Then both groups were put into a room of toys and those exposed to the aggressive model tend to act in more aggressive ways. This proves Bandura's theory that children may be influenced by adults' behavior through observational learning.
[听力原文]
M: Now we believe that observational learning may take place when children watch other people's performances. In 1961, Bandura conducted his famous Bobo doll experiment to test whether or not children would imitate adult models' behavior, say, aggressive behavior or non-aggressive behavior.
Two groups of children were put separately into two playrooms, and two adult models were seated in each room containing a tinker toy and a Bobo doll. After a while, the aggressive model would attack the Bobo doll physically. Meanwhile, the non-aggressive model simply played with the tinker toys for the entire period. Then, both children were taken into another playroom filled with highly entertaining toys and were left alone for 20 minutes. Judges watched each child from the window and recorded these children's performance.
The result showed that the children exposed to the aggressive model were more likely to act in physically aggressive ways. Bandura successfully supported his theory of observational learning in this experiment and came to the conclusion that children tend to think that the behavior they are observing is acceptable.