Pro and anti social behaviour

Pro- and antisocial behaviour

Charlton et al (1999)

Aim: to assess the impact of TV introduction on a remote community.

Sample: School-age children on St.Helena, a small island in the Atlantic.

Design: natural experiment with repeated measures.

Method: Children’s behaviour was assessed before and after the introduction of TV for the first time (IV=before/after TV). Aggression was measured thru’ peer and teacher ratings.

Results: There was no increase in aggression following the introduction of TV.

Conclusion: TV violence did not affect children’s behaviour.

Anti social behaviour

Social learning theory (SLT)

We learn both aggressiveness (antisocial behaviour) and how to express aggression through direct reinforcement (conditioning theory) and indirect reinforcement (social learning). 

Bandura (1977) suggested that there are four steps in the modelling process.

·         Attention.  If a person (model) is prestigious or similar you will pay more attention.

·         Retention.  Actions must be remembered (i.e. cognitive processes involved).

·         Reproduction. Vicarious reinforcement is not enough, imitation requires skills.

·         Motivation. Imitation depends on direct and indirect reinforcements and punishments

Bandura suggested that there are three sources of models: the family, subculture and the media.  .  He believed that there are several factors that make it more likely that a person will imitate the behaviour he or she…