If Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment proposes that aggressive behaviour can be learnt via observational learning, how come there are no stronger links between violent games/movies and violent behaviour?

Question

So, social psychologist Albert Bandura performed a couple of experiments in the 1960s, and he proposed that aggressive behaviour can be learnt. Basically, in experimental group he had kids watch an adult physically and verbally assault a Bobo doll. Kids in control group watched an adult play with other toys while the Bobo doll was left untouched. Then, kids from both groups played with some toys from a different room, until they were no longer allowed (this was done to build up frustration). Instead they were offered to play with toys in a room, where the Bobo doll and some other toys were. The results concluded that kids in experimental group showed more aggressive behaviour towards the Bobo doll. In a different experiment he also concluded that aggressive behaviour can be learnt trough cartoons or movies. [Here’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobo_doll_experiment) a link to a more detailed explanation.

So my question is, how is it possible that there are apparently no newer and stronger links between violent games/movies and violent behaviour, especially since games/movies are getting more realistic?

In: Other

Answer 1

Bandura’s experiment suggests that aggressive play will be mimicked. A better analog would be that children who watch an adult play a violent video game will be more inclined to play that video game.

The Bobo experiment suggests that children will mimic violent behavior which they see others perform. When a child plays a violent video game, they are not seeing violent behavior enacted; they are seeing a video game be played. If the child were watching a video of actual violence, that would fit more neatly with the Bobo experiment.

The Bobo experiment also has more to do with seeing how violent (or other) behavior is responded to; namely, if someone is punished for violent behavior, a child watching that will be less inclined to show violent behavior. There is not this kind of context provided when playing video games.

Long story short – it is an apples and oranges scenario. The Bobo experiment has little to do with violent video games.